


into the blossom fields

by eucaleili



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: 1850s, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst, F/F, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Ghosts, Historical Fantasy, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Rich Hwang Hyunjin, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Vampires, Witchcraft, multiple platonic ships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:08:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 95,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23515186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eucaleili/pseuds/eucaleili
Summary: He remembers the tired look of the couple when they were negotiating the price of the manor. They looked like they hadn't slept in days, and with the previously shuttered window slowly opening, Hyunjin realized he wouldn't either.In which Hyunjin moves into a secluded mountain town to help his parents’ business, but he ends up getting involved in a lot more than he bargained for. Not that he's complaining, of course.(tags will be updated along with updates)
Relationships: Bang Chan/Kunpimook Bhuwakul | BamBam, Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Hwang Hyunjin/Kim Seungmin, Lee Felix/Seo Changbin
Comments: 76
Kudos: 142





	1. intro

"So, Hyunjin, right?"

The carriage ride to Westgate manor had been silent so far, but the chipper voice of the driver suddenly woke him out of his daze. The sky was slowly turning blue as the sun came out, the snow on the side of the road beginning to melt before it inevitably fell again. 

"Yeah, Hyunjin." He answered, shaking his head.

"What made you want to come to Yellowood?" The driver asked.

"I'm here for work, my parents thought this would be a good place to continue the family business."

"And what might that be?"

"You'll find that out when we get so famous, our faces are plastered on every shop." 

The driver let out a soft chuckle and looked over the terrain, they had just reached the top of a small hill. The land around the strange island of Yellowood was rocky and uneven, filled with small hills and rivers that made it almost impossible to reach. 

Hyunjin looked over the hills and narrow trees as the carriage came to a stop. The boy got out of the carriage slowly and leaned further over the hill, trying to see what's at the bottom. 

"How are we going to get down?" He asked.

The driver let out a laugh at the question and looked Hyunjin straight in the eye with an apologetic smile.

"You mean how are _you_ going to get down?"

He got down from his seat above the horses and started unpacking the luggage before Hyunjin had a chance to comprehend what that could mean.

"I can help you take most of the luggage down to Westgate manor, but I'm afraid it'll cost a small fee. I am an old man, you know?" 

The “old” carriage driver, obviously near Hyunjin’s own age, stood among the multiple suitcases and bags full of things Hyunjin had brought with him. He looked into his money pocket; full, but he didn’t like to spend money on unnecessary expenses. His clothes, his tools, his little pieces of home. How was he going to drag this all to the manor?

"The walk to the manor should only take about 5 minutes or so, but the rest of the hill is covered in ice and thick snow so our horses can’t get through, let alone the wheels of the carriage," Hyunjin glanced at the two horses, growing increasingly restless. "There's a small trail to the left that you could use to get down the hill, it seems more stable than this road right here."

The young boy, still in awe of the situation, followed his driver behind the bushes and trees to the small path, only a few feet away from the road. 

Hyunjin let out a sigh, a very, _very_ , pointed sigh, and the driver laughed again.

“It may not be the easiest way down, but it’s your best bet to get away from the ice.”

Not trying to be rude, he went back to the carriage and began picking up suitcases, sliding handlebars through his arms when he could, until he had about 3 suitcases on each arm.

"Can you help me stack the bags on top?" Hyunjin asked the driver, who stood off to the side watching the younger struggle. He smiled and nodded, picking up a bag and placing them gently on top of his arms.

It was a struggle to keep all of the bags balanced on top of his arms, and Hyunjin missed the safety and warmth inside the carriage.

The carriage driver sat back on top of his carriage seat and began to turn the horses around.

"Remember, Hyunjin, if you need anything, I'll be across the rivers here. Don't cross them in the spring or summer, that will most definitely get you killed! If not by the treacherous waters then the moose will do the trick…"

His sentence trailed off before Hyunjin yelled out to him.

"Wait! What's your name? I’ll need it to find you!"

"You can just call me Chris!"

Hyunjin huffed and turned on his heels, careful to keep the luggage balanced on his arms. 

  
  
  
  
  


The walk down to the manor was long and slippery, and he quickly realized that having so many bags obstructing his vision may not have been the best idea.

"My shoes are covered in mud and snow, my socks are covered in mud and snow, my pants… Argh, my Monte Lourie pants! Mother’s going to kill me!"

So he walks down the trail grumbling and complaining, flinching whenever he feels snow crawl up the back of his ivory white pant leg.

"Is this how you welcome a new guest? Is it?" He shouted at nothing in particular, but his words were directed towards _something_. "I've spent 3 days on a cold train, another day in the back of a rusty old carriage, and now I have to walk down this icy old mountain? Give me a break!" He stomped his foot on the ground, hitting a patch of ice that caused him to lose his balance and fall back, the boys’ luggage sent tumbling down the hill. 

He was covered in snow, cold, and tired from the long, unforgiving journey to Yellowood. The wind ruffles his hair lightly and he sits silently on the trail, head held between his arms. 

_Maybe coming to Yellowood wasn't such a good idea_ . He thought to himself. _Maybe I should've just stayed home and helped mom and dad with the few orders that we had._

Drowning in feelings of stress and guilt, he let himself sit on the hill for just a second longer. He touched his earrings before putting his hand on his knees and raising himself with a sigh, picking up any nearby luggage and making his way down the hill once again. His coat was heavy with mud, and his pants clung to his socks, hitting his legs as he walked. 

_Just a little farther, I can already see the clearing._

He gave up on cleanliness, choosing to rest any more snow-covered bags between his face and his shoulder. When it became too difficult to pick up any more luggage, he carefully nudged it with his foot, sending it sliding further down the hill on top of the icy snow. It wasn't safe or dainty in the slightest, but Hyunjin had to make it down somehow. 

  
  
  
  


The sun was coming down when he finally reached the side of the manor, the front of the large house lit up by the orange skies. 

"It's good I made it before nightfall, huh?" The boy said, looking up at his new home in relief. 

The previous owners were quick to sell it, going with the first price Hyunjin offered during their negotiations, but he could never figure out why. They mentioned that the house may be haunted and that several of the previous owners went missing with no explanation or reason, so the townspeople figured it was the work of ghosts and witches. 

Hyunjin never really believed in that kind of stuff anyway. It was a beautiful house, the one thing that might just help his family's business overtake their competition. 

He kicked some of the suitcases up to the front of the porch of the tall, decorated manor. He couldn't just kick the luggage up the steps, so he would have to set a few bags inside and come back for the rest of them later. 

Hyunjin scrambled for the keys once he was done gazing upon the large wooden door. Upon unlocking the house he heard a loud creak coming from the left wing, a circular reading with windows lining the entire front. The windows were boarded up, seemingly from the inside as well as the outside, a problem he would deal with once he got settled in.

The manor smelled a bit musty, probably from the few years it had been abandoned, but the interior was beautiful. Two winding staircases led to the second floor, and a small table holding a rose was placed between the staircases. Paintings scattered the walls around him, some depicting war, others, comfort, and relaxation. 

What stood out to him was on the first floor of the west wing, clearly a small living area of sorts, with a fireplace and hanging flower pots to give it a more natural feeling. There was a huge mirror taking up the wall opposite the windows. It stood about 3 feet off the ground, and reached the top of the ceiling, stretching from one side of the wall to the other. He couldn't measure the width of it at all, and it felt hypnotizing.

Snapping out of his trance, he grabbed the rest of his luggage from the porch and locked the door behind him, set on cleaning up as much as he could and taking a well-deserved rest.

His first objective was to get himself cleaned up, and that meant finding a bathroom in the identical-looking rooms in the manor. Each door looked the same, and they were all the same length away from each other, forcing Hyunjin to take his time and open each door individually to find what he was looking for.

His mind suddenly began to wander. Did this place have an indoor bathroom? Did they have hot water? Back at home they had newly installed bathrooms and a water system, but not everyone was lucky enough to have their house renovated or rebuilt every few months. With such an expensively decorated manor, there should be some more high-class amenities, but with the house selling for such a small amount, the owners may not have been able to afford renovations. The previous owners looked like they hadn't slept in years, but they work expensive furs and luxury coats imported from overseas. The question had completely slipped his mind during negotiations, having spent so much time with the higher class amenities he assumed every manor had had them implemented after they were introduced in the '50s. His negotiating price surely would've been lowered if this manor didn't even have an indoor bathroom!

Hyunjins plaguing questions were finally answered when he opened the door to a master bedroom in the right wing. The room was fairly large for a master bedroom, and he began to question why exactly the owners were so quick to sell a manor this grand (aside from the hauntings, of course). In the left corner, there was an open door with a small bathroom inside, with a rain shower and all of the modern amenities. The faucet made a slight squeaking noise when he turned it on, but the water ran smoothly, and it wasn't too hot or cold.

The boy was smiling until he turned around to look at himself in the full-body mirror behind him, the first time he's seen his clothes since he left to go down the trail.

 _God, what a mess,_ he thought, slapping his hands on his coat pockets and watching pieces of dried mud hit the wooden floor. _Guess I'll have to change, there's no saving Monte Lourie…_

Changing out of his favorite designers' suit set into his comfortable silk pajamas was something he had been waiting for for days, and it almost made him want to go straight to bed. Looking mournfully at the bed, he tightened his fists and made a beeline towards the kitchen in the lower right wing, where the previous owners said they had left some cleaning supplies and food that would last him the first two days of settling in. After lighting the candelabras in the halls, he grabbed a small rag and wet it down in the kitchen sink. _It's already getting late_ , _I'll just do some light dusting and clean up the rest tomorrow._

  
  
  
  
  


Dusting the lower level of the manor was relatively uneventful, except for the unnaturally large mirror watching over the left wing living area. There was also the issue with the boarded-up reading room further left of the living area, but he didn’t have enough light to know if it was safe to take off the boards without further damage to the wall.

The upper level of the manor is what gave him some troubles. In the deep of the night, floorboards let out large creaks and groans, making Hyunjin stop in his tracks and take a look around him. Some doors were suddenly very heavy and Hyunjin struggled to enter a few of the rooms, deciding to leave them for the next day. Some rooms were locked when they weren't before, and the candlelight flickered, although there was no sight of an open window.

He finally had enough of the strange noises when he reached the right wing, dusting the candle fixture on the wall in front of his master bedroom. The floorboard creaked so loudly behind him that he flinched, spinning around to catch the source of the strange noise, but it was empty. He didn't shift his weight, he didn't take a step forward, he didn't move from his place at all.

"Hello?" He called out.

The rag he was using suddenly caught fire, probably from being held too close to the candle. (Hyunjin decided to ignore the fact that the rag was a good distance away from the flame.) He threw it onto the ground, stomping on the rag with his shoes until the flame went out. 

Hyunjin was tired, he was scared, and worst of all, he was pissed.

"Who's out there? Why are you trying to mess with me already? I just got here!" 

He shouted, eyes shifting through the corridor, once down the pitch black of the left-wing where he had already blown out the candles, and once to the end of the right-wing hall, where the candlelight danced along the paintings on the wall, taunting him, making shapes on the walls so dynamic that they felt alive, crawling up and down the flowered wallpaper.

"Who are you?" He stared at one shadow in particular, a shadow that looked a bit too sentient to be just a trick of the light, a shadow that consistently kept its shape, even when everything around it was moving.

The dancing lights stop, and the shadow stops with them. Hyunjin felt multiple pairs of eyes staring him down, even though he knew he was alone in the manor. 

He was alone, right?

The shadow suddenly sunk to the floorboards and the candlelights started flickering more rapidly than before. Hyunjin backed up to the door of his master bedroom, and he could feel the warmth on the other side. Was the hallway always this cold?

He watched the white cloud of breath escape him before the candles blew themselves out right in front of him.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

The three candelabras in the hall blew out in the same, hypnotizing order, tallest to shortest, as Hyunjin grabbed the door handle and threw himself into his bedroom, slamming the door shut and rushing to move a nearby nightstand right below the handle, blocking anything from getting in, and blocking anything from getting out. 

Taking a deep breath, Hyunjin sat down near the fireplace, regaining his composure and staring into the flames. He took out one of his earrings and held the yellow opal close to his heart. It wasn't until the flames started to burn his irises that he decided to turn in for the night.

Hyunjins sheets were made of silk, and they did well to calm him down and provide a cool contrast to his wet hair and sweaty palms. He began to realize why the owners wanted to get out of this house, why they sold it for so little. But he couldn't just leave, he promised his parents he would stay, and god forbid he broke a promise he had been so sure of before.

He remembered the tired look of the couple when they came to his house to negotiate. They looked like they hadn't slept in days. With the east window slowly opening, Hyunjin realized he wouldn't either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading :D !! ♡ ♡ please stick with me as I try to work through the strange formatting options of ao3 ;;  
> i know it's short but that's just because it's the intro. i promise the rest of the chapters will be much longer! ♡


	2. the cat eyed boy

The house had been silent for a few days, nothing out of the ordinary. Hyunjin was actually starting to think that the whole incident was just a dumb hallucination.

While the house was at rest, he started to set up his work area and get started on the orders his parents had given him, watching the sun go up and down through the window of the gardens’ north tower. Each jewel he used was brought from home, stuffed into suitcases and padded with blankets and articles of clothing to prevent them from shattering. His tools were clean and shiny, and the windows of the tower gave him a fresh environment to work in. It was easy to dive into the craft and never come out. 

The vines outside of the stone tower tapped against the glass, waking him out of his trance. Exactly a week had gone by since the move-in, and he’d sent all of the fulfilled orders back out to his parents. Rings and necklaces had been coming back into popularity with the holidays nearing, and Hyunjin was excited to bring the designs of their clients to life. He looked at the proposed design for the next piece of jewelry - a beautiful, delicate, diamond necklace with small roses made of rubies - when his stomach suddenly growled.

“Has it really been that long since breakfast?” He questioned, tilting his head to the side and jumping out of his seat, skipping down the winding staircase of the tower and across the garden yard to the house he rarely spent time in. The tall back door of the mansion greeted him, opening slowly as Hyunjin came closer. He rushed in absentmindedly, heading straight towards the kitchen and throwing open the cabinets, only to be met with dust and empty jars of what _used_ to be an assortment of nuts and berries.

“Fuck.”

  
  
  
  
  


Hyunjin gathered his coat and money satchel, ready to head out into town for the first time. 

“Mr. and Mrs. Moon told me that the best food stalls were in the middle of town… or was it near the lake?” He mumbled to himself, trying to remember the tips the previous owners had given him about the town. “I’ll go into the middle of the town first, then to the lake, and if the sun is still up, I’ll explore!” 

Hyunjin was pretty sure nobody was listening, but he found it fun to entertain the thought of someone hiding in the house - a human, preferably. 

“Dumb ghosts and their dumb tricks,” He laughed, eyes shifting from side to side. “You don’t scare me.” 

The boy took one last look into the house, backing up slowly before turning on his heels and slamming the door, running as far as he could from the mansion. The cold air forced tears out of his eyes and the satchel hit his hip painfully, but he kept running. He ran until he couldn’t see the house over his shoulder, until he could feel a bruise forming on his hip, until his eyes watered so much his vision began to blur. He squinted, looking closely at the ground, struggling to differentiate between ice and solid ground. How far away was this town again?

Hyunjin rubbed at his eyes with his gloves, clearing his vision. He looked straight ahead and saw something moving at the bottom of the hill.

“Hey! Are you the new tenant?” The shape called out.

“Who are you?” Hyunjin shouted back, his voice weak.

“My name’s Minho! I live in the mansion just opposite of yours. I haven’t heard any news of you from the townspeople so I decided to come and check on you myself! Most people don’t last more than a few days in that place, you know?” 

Hyunjin stood still and waited as the man drew closer, his catlike features becoming clearer, and his smile showed nothing but kindness - but Hyunjin took a step back. The young boy straightened his shoulder and stood up taller as the stranger, Minho, stopped about a meter away from him, hand outstretched.

“I heard from Chris that your name is Hyungjun, is that right?” The shorter asked, blinking curiously.

“Ah, it’s actually Hyunjin. Nevermind that, how did you know Chris? I thought he only came to drop people off in Yellowood.”

“You could say he’s an old friend of mine, _Hyunjin_ ,” Minho smiled lightly as he said the name. “What are you doing out here anyway? You seem to be in a hurry.”

“I just wanted to finish some shopping before the sun went down, that’s all.”

Minho whistled lightly, looking up into the sky. 

“I believe it’s a bit late for that now, the stalls will be closed by the time we get down there!”

“Closed? This early?” He crossed his arms, looking down at Minho in annoyance. “Please don’t try to joke too much, it’s already been a tough week and I don’t want any more surprises.”

Minho laughed.

“Look, kid-”

“What’d you call me?”

“If it wasn’t for your height I would’ve asked you where your parents were, Hyunjin. Now listen, there’s clearly a lot about this town that you don’t know about, and I can’t blame the previous owners of the manor for not telling you.”

The shorter crossed his arms as well, staring daggers into Hyunjin’s soul, making the younger back away as he came closer, but his smile suggested something less threatening.

“They were only living in that manor for a few days and came into the town on the second day to figure out what the hell was going on in there. Frankly, I’d like to know how you aren’t traumatized yet, let alone _dead._ ”

Hyunjin stiffens, grabbing at his arms with an iron grip. Minho continues.

“If you’re talking about the whole haunting problem, I don’t believe it. Ghosts don’t exist.”

Minho just clicked his tongue and continued talking, relaxing a little bit.

“There’s a hotel down in the town that my friend owns, so we’ll stay a night there while I explain a few things to you. There are also a few people I’d like you to meet, some people who can help you in case anything goes wrong. I’ll show you around town for now, but the stalls will _definitely_ be closed.”

The younger nodded silently and Minho smiled, the older returning to his bright, mature personality he had when Hyunjin first saw him come up the hill.

“Good. Follow me then.”

  
  
  
  


And so the two walked close to each other through the never ending trail of the forest, Hyunjin listening closely to everything Minho had to say.

“So in town, the major landmarks you probably already know about are the lake, the stall in the ‘main hall’ as we call it, and probably the bakery.”

“The bakery? Is there something so special about it?”

Minho looks him dead in the eyes, face shifting into a frown.

“Of course,” he whined. “My best friends work there, and I do too, but only when they’re in a good mood.” 

He returned to his happy, smiling state as soon as he finished talking. 

“Why are they so against you working, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Oh, my friends almost ‘fired me’ because I ate all the bread I made. I promised it would only be a little bit but the Gyeongju bread looked so good…”

“You have Gyeongju bread?” Hyunjin yelled in surprise, quickly covering his mouth afterwards. “My mom used to make that all the time! I thought we were the only ones who knew how to make it, nobody else knew what it was.”

“Hah! It’s a cultural delicacy, Jinnie, if you were the mastermind behind Gyeongju bread you’d be making a lot more money than you are now from this whole jewelry thing.”

Hyunjin made a face at the sudden nickname. They’d only known each other for a few minutes, and how’d Minho know what his line of work was? Chris, maybe? But he didn’t tell Chris either, did he?

“How’d you know I was a jeweler, Minnie?” He added extra emphasis on the nickname.

“Hey, I’m older than you, you’re not allowed to do that,” Minho scoffed. “Anyway, back to the town.”

“You didn’t answer my que-”

“There are a few bakeries in the town but my friends own the best one, of course. You’ll find it a good ways away from the main hall. I tell them to change the location all the time but they never listen! Maybe I should just take everything from the store and move it all overnight… No, that wouldn’t work. The ovens are a part of the entire wall… Maybe if I ask Chris and his husband to come and help…”

Hyunjin listened to Minho ramble on about the “pitiful state of his dear friends’ bakery” while they walked, laughing along with him as he told endearing stories from his time working there.

“There was this one time the little one, Jeonginnie, burnt an entire batch of croissants! His older brother was furious but he couldn’t do anything about it because Jeongin was still a child and he didn’t want to scare him. They’re the cutest little kids, I’m telling you! Wait, how old are you again?”

The younger blinked, taking some time to transition between listening and actually comprehending what Minho was saying.

“Uh, about 19? My birthday should be coming up soon though.”

“Ah… 19.”

Minho blinked a few times and his eyes stared off into space. 

“Mhm, you would’ve been good friends,” Minho mumbled. 

Hyunjin barely caught it. “Friends with Jeongin and his brother?” He asked, and Minho paused before nodding his head slowly, the evil sparkle in his eyes coming back, the thought already behind him.

“Don’t worry about it. You’re a bit older than Jeongin but younger than his brother, so you should be able to get along just fine, it’s not too much of a difference.”

The older sent him a reassuring smile and _oh no_ \- 

Hyunjin’s foot slid on a rather large sheet of ice, nearly sending him tumbling down the rest of the hill, but Minho’s arm quickly wrapped around his waist. The younger tried to stand, but his foot caught the ice again and he tumbled back, Minho quickly wrapping a second arm around him, trying to dig his foot into the ground to stop them from sliding, but only making it worse when he felt his shoe hit a different ice patch right below him.

They both fell. Hard. Hyunjin felt the wind get knocked out of him, but he was thankful for the older under him, cushioning his landing on the cold, solid ground.

“I guess I owe you my life now, Minho,” Hyunjin coughed.

“Yea, yea, glad I could be of service,” He groaned back. 

Hyunjin hopped up quickly, reaching out his hand and helping Minho up as well. 

“Are you okay? We fell back pretty hard…” Hyunjin trailed off, watching Minho raise a hand to the back of his head. “A-are you bleeding? I might have some fabric we could use as a tissue until we get to town.” 

Minho shook his head, looking down at his hand. “I’ll be fine, I’m just glad you didn’t get hurt, Jinnie,” He gave the younger a sly smile, taking Hyunjin’s arm and pulling him along down the path. “Just make sure you watch where you’re walking, okay?”

Hyunjin nodded enthusiastically, taking a longer, and more cautious, stride to catch up with the older.

  
  
  
  


The rest of the walk was in silence, neither speaking up until they reached the town near sundown. Hyunjin’s face lit up at the sight of small houses and huts after their journey down the mountainside. Still afraid to speak up, he squeezed Minho’s hand in excitement, (Minho decided that just holding onto his arm was too barbaric).

Lanterns in the town were being lit, and every few seconds Hyunjin would see another kerosene lamp flicker to life under the sunset. The lake reflected the purple sky and the few lights by the port, the shipping docks bustling with sailors and merchants. He looked into the middle of the town, watching the lamps light up in what must’ve been the “main hall”, with its elliptical shape and a long stretch of road on both sides, divided by several trees and shrubbery.

“Will it be long before we reach the bakery?” Hyunjin whispered carefully.

“No, it’ll just take a few more minutes.” The older grumbled, clearly out of it.

Hyunjin frowned, eyeing Minho up and down. “Are you sure you’re ok? Nothing’s hurting? I was taught first aid in school, I could help you if you need anything.”

“It’s fine, Jinnie,” He let out a soft laugh. “I’m fine. Our biggest worry right now is getting to that bakery before the sun sets and the forest becomes too dangerous to stay in.”

“Dangerous?”

“Yea, we have some bears or coyotes that come out sometimes. They’re harmless if you stay inside, though.”

Hyunjin breathed a sigh of relief, a breath he didn’t even know he was holding.

The younger swung their hands together, eyeing the buildings in the town excitedly.

“Can you tell me more about the town?” The younger asked, turning to Minho with a curious smile on his face. “I don’t know much about the lake, but I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”

“Oh, the lake’s haunted, you definitely don’t want to be down there for too long.”

The sentence was short, sweet, and offered no explanation. Hyunjin waited a moment to see if Minho would add anything to his statement, but the older had a blank look on his face.

“Why is it haunted…?”

The older sighed, using his free hand to adjust his coat.

“We’ve been trying to figure that out for a while now…” He seemed to be lost in thought, eyebrows furrowing as he stared at the ground. He offered no further explanation, and Hyunjin merely watched as the older waved a finger around and bit his cheek, clearly thinking hard about something.

Minho suddenly stopped and looked straight ahead as if to cut off his own train of thought. 

“Yeah, no. No idea why it's haunted.”

 _Cryptic, much?_ Hyunjin wondered who this guy really was. He showed up at his house all of a sudden, offered to walk him down to his friends’ bakery, friends who Hyunjin had never met before, and he always said slightly off-putting things. Even with all this, Hyunjin trusted him.

 _Does he really live in the manor opposite of mine? What if he’s lying?_ Hyunjin looked towards Minho, the olders face almost gleaming in the moonlight. _There’s no way he could have done anything bad, ever,_ he reassured himself, squinting at the man’s perfect face. The sun was coming down quickly as they stepped into the town, finally making it out of the dense trees in the forest. 

“The bakery is just a right turn after we get through the main hall. You can go look around a bit, I’ll just follow you around, make sure you don’t get yourself into trouble.” Minho gave Hyunjin a soft smile and let go of his hand, motioning for the boy to go out and explore.

The younger nodded eagerly, walking past a crowd of people exiting a bar, smiles on their faces and - expensive furs over their shoulders?

“Hey Minho, is this a decently wealthy part of the town or are they people I should get to know?” Hyunjin asked, still eyeing the group that came out of the bar.

Minho scoffed, pinching his own silk-pressed suit, gems and glittering embroidery running down his arms. “I know we’re pretty cut off from the rest of the country, but this town is fairly famous for jewel and ore exports. Everyone here reaps the benefits.” 

Hyunjin nodded in understanding. His old neighborhood was fairly wealthy as well, with multiple exporters of luxury furs and textiles bringing in money. His parents decided to stick to jewelry anyway, so he had to move closer to the manufacturer to help his family. With his location so close to the manufacturer, they could drastically cut shipping prices.

Of course, it’s only been a week and Hyunjin hadn’t bought any new jewels from the Yellowood miners, so he would have to wait until he finished using the jewels he had until they saw any profit increase.

“Why does everything close so early?” Hyunjin questioned softly.

“Aah, gosh what’s with you and all these questions? They close early because the bears come out at night!” Minho replied, exasperated.

“I thought the bears were only in the forest!”

“The town has so much food in it Jinnie, it’s basically a buffet for them. Wait until you see the extra steel bars we use to lock up the doors. It’s not easy being a tiny, wealthy mountain village.”

Minho pouted jokingly, offended by the notion that he may have been lying.

“Let’s head towards the bakery, yea? Don’t want any bears killing the new tenant before the ghosts have a go at him,” Minho laughed. It was a sad, hollow laugh. Hyunjin had more and more questions about him every time he opened his mouth.

“So you actually think there are ghosts in that manor?” His hands shook.

“What? They haven’t shown themselves yet? That’s strange…” Minho slowed his pace as they walked towards the bakery.

“Well, there was this one incident on the first day I moved in with the candles,” The younger shivered just thinking about it. “But nothing too interesting has happened since then. I’ve kept myself locked in the garden tower, but whenever I’m in the manor it’s pretty quiet.” _If you don’t count cabinets and doors opening before I reach for them, that is._

Minho had a fond smile on his face when Hyunjin looked back at him.

“Ah, that brat, always making an entrance, huh.”

Hyunjin’s eyes widened. _Does he know these ghosts personally or something? Why is he speaking so fondly of them? What does he mean_ they _?_

His mind is spinning with questions, and Minho noticed quickly.

“No more questions for the rest of the night, alright Jinnie? I’ll show you the front of the bakery I’m staying at and you’ll meet me there when you wake up, ok?”

Hyunjin nodded, still dumbfounded, looking down at his own feet.

“Yes, of course. Meet you at the bakery, got it.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


The front of the bakery had a small fence and bench for outdoor seating, but the windows were covered with a blanket from the inside, preventing Hyunjin from seeing the interior. 

“Here’s the bakery, and here is...” Minho placed his hands on Hyunjins shoulders, turning him around to look at the opposite side of the street. “...your hotel for the night.”

It was a pretty nice hotel, Hyunjin won’t argue against that. The pillars decorating the front porch were a stark marble white, reflecting the warm yellow of the lamps set on the surrounding fence. The inside was even more decorated; soft yellow glazing the walls and intricate designs carved into the banisters of the staircase.

“You must be the new tenant!” A new voice appeared. “Minho’s been talking about you ever since we got word that you would be moving in!”

The voice rounded the corner and Hyunjin was met with the dimpled face of a young boy, shaggy black hair sticking out from all sides.

“I’m Jeongin, it’s nice to meet you! I wish we could talk more but I can’t stay for too long!” The young boy ran up the steep stairs next to the entrance, his hair flopping as he hopped up the steps. 

“It was nice meeting you too!” Hyunjin yelled after him, waving to the boy as he ran off into one of the halls.

“That was Jeongin, as you probably heard,” Minho said, walking forward to stand next to Hyunjin. “His brother should be coming by any minute now…” He drifted off, eagerly watching the corner the young boy just came from.

“Yang Jeongin!”

Another new voice yelled from around the corner, this one much rougher and deeper than the other. Minho nodded knowingly. 

“Here he is.”

A set of loud footsteps pounded against the floor around the corner, and a muscular but small man with the darkest black hair Hyunjin had ever seen rounded the corner.

“Jeongin, if you steal my glasses from my nightstand one more time you will not live to see tomorrow!”

The owner of the rough voice turned to run up the stairs, at least, he tried to, but hit his arm against the banister, causing him to stumble forward onto the carpet.

“I can’t have shit in this house!” The raven-haired boy grumbled from the floor.

“You have a guest, Changbin,” Minho said calmly. 

“Ah, fuck the guest! If I can’t see him, he ain’t here.” 

The boy, assumingly Changbin, rubbed his eyes and stood up, moving his head closer to the stairs, and giving up after his foot missed the first step.

“...Can someone help me get up there?” 

Hyunjin held onto one of the man’s arms, amused, and swung it over his shoulder, Changbin holding onto the banister with his other arm.

“I’m Hyunjin, nice to be of acquaintance with you.”

“What ‘acquaintance’? Are you another one of those rich kids Minho keeps bringing in? What happened to ‘if I can’t see you, you aren’t here’, huh?”

Being friends with this guy was going to be a challenge, and oh god did Hyunjin like a challenge. 

They reached the top of the staircase, and Hyunjin dropped the man’s arms, watching as the older made a beeline down the hall and turning to the right down yet another hallway, hands running along the walls. Then came the knocking.

“Open up! I know you have my glasses.” The raven-haired boy yelled. 

Loud snores from inside the room followed.

“Don’t pretend you’re asleep, open the door!”

Hyunjin eyed Minho from the top of the staircase, glancing between the hallway and the elder.

“What happened to the older brother who couldn’t yell at his little sibling because he didn’t want to ‘scare’ him?” He whispered loudly, just enough that Minho could hear him as he trod up the stairs to join Hyunjin.

“What happened to ‘no more questions for the rest of the night,’ Jinnie?”

The younger scoffed in offense, crossing his arms and starting to walk down the stairs to meet Minho in the middle.

“No, no, no, go back up,” The brown-haired man said, meeting Hyunjin in the middle. “Your room is room 3C, all the way in the back of the complex on the next floor. There’s no hot water but I told Changbin to boil some up after I left. It should be good to use.”

He dropped a small key into Hyunjin’s hand, and the younger ran a hand through his hair, pushing it out of his face to take a closer look at the key. He twisted the strands wrapped around his neck, styling them absentmindedly.

“Oh, you have earrings?” Minho was the one asking questions now.

“Yeah, they’re from my mom. Yellow opals. I never take them off.” 

Hyunjin brushed his fingers against one of the gems framed in glistening gold. 

“They’re nice.”

Minho left it at that, walking the rest of the way up the staircase and turning the corner down the hallway - opposite to the one Changbin and Jeongin were still arguing in.

“Don’t forget about the bakery!” The elder called out from the right hallway.

Hyunjin just sighed in defeat and looked down at the key.

So much had happened already, he wasn’t sure if he was going to get much sleep anyway. First, he ran out of food, then he met Minho outside of his manor - he has more questions about the man now than before he’d met him - and now the brothers. 

He walked up another flight of stairs to the third floor and found his room in the back of the complex. The door opened smoothly, and he walked into a room smelling of sweet candies and pastries. Just as he assumed, there was a small tray of pastries on the marble countertop of the hotel kitchen. The boy picked up a small note laying next to the tray. It read:

_Good evening, Hyunjin,_

_We baked these at the very end of the day, so they’re the freshest batch we have._

_The two of us were awaiting your arrival, and we hope you got here safely._

_Find me or my younger brother if you ever need anything. We’ll be here to help._

_Enjoy your stay!_

The last sentence is written in much curvier handwriting, and Hyunjin assumed that Jeongin stole the note at the last minute to write one last line, the ink much fresher than the rest of the note. 

“That’s very nice of you two,” Hyunjin giggled lightly to himself, picking up the tray of warm pastries and setting it on top of his bed. 

He changed into the nightwear given to him and he dove under the covers, finishing every last pastry. It had been so lonely the past week, he was glad to finally have some people around him. The yelling from the second floor had died down and was replaced by the muffled laughter of the three boys.

“Shut it, you’ll wake up the new guy!” A young voice shouted.

“You mean Hyunjin?” The rougher voice shouted back.

“And Minnie! He’s sleeping too!”

“But Minho never goes to sleep this early!”

“Which is why you should be quiet! I'll ask him about it tomorrow.”

Hyunjin heard one last annoyed sigh before it was silent, the voices finally quieting down, and he let his mind wander again. Was there really something wrong with Minho? He’d been acting strangely since they fell a few hours ago, but he said nothing was wrong. Maybe he was more hurt than he led on?

Hyunjin shook the thoughts from his mind and crawled further under the covers, finishing the last pastry. Snow began to fall outside of the window and he let out a long breath. These are all problems best left for the next day. For now, it was time to catch up on the sleep he’d been missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> minho: strong, reliable type. says he's fine, but is he really? find out on next episode of the bachelor ❁ ❁  
> I highly appreciate constructive criticism though god knows i need it!! I'm currently relying on gr-mmarly and there's only so much i can do with a free trial
> 
> up next: hyunjin meets some new friends that may or may not aid in figuring out the town


	3. the lady and the lake

“Why is it so bright…?”

Hyunjin woke up rubbing at his eyes, struggling to open his eyelids through the bright stream of sunlight. He always kept his curtains closed at home, why was it so bright now?

“Wh-” The boy sat up quickly, the bed creaking loudly with the sudden movement, and he cringed at the noise. “Where am I?”

His eyes slowly scanned the room before he cautiously straightened out his back, recalling everything that had happened the night before. He was supposed to meet someone somewhere, but where? Hyunjin’s head hurt trying to remember what he had forgotten, and he stretched his arms, leaning his head to the side to stretch out his sore muscles.

He had gotten a few bruises from the fall the night before, but nothing too bad. His back hurt, his arms hurt, his calves were burning after so much walking, but he wasn’t bedridden. 

His thoughts suddenly began to piece together, one by one like a chain of puzzle pieces. He fell yesterday while he was walking with Minho. Minho was taking him into town, and they planned to spend the night at a hotel across from-

“The bakery!”

Hyunjin yelped as he looked at the sun out of the window. It was almost noon, and the streets outside were full of people.

“Ahh, I was supposed to meet them there in the morning!” He yelled, rushing around his room, struggling to get ready. “They’re going to think I’m horrible! Irresponsible! Ungentlemanly! What kind of wealthy heir am I if I’m going to act like this?” 

He had fun with his dramatics, distracting himself from the thoughts scratching at his head. _Laugh the worry away,_ he had told himself. He continued to rush around the lofty apartment, letting out a thankful sigh when he found a neatly folded suit on his desk with a small note that read:

_I noticed that your suit from yesterday was dirty so I took it to the tailors. I’ll bring it back to you when it's all cleaned and stitched up! Take this suit I found in Minho’s closet for now. It should be around your size, but don’t take my word for it!_

_Signed, your favorite baker and hotel manager, teehee! :D_

The smile at the end of the letter made Hyunjin giggle, the note from the youngest making his worries drift away. He tried on the suit after washing his face and hair, surprised at how well it fit. The shoulders were a bit tight, and so was the waist, but the length and other measurements were fairly similar to his.

“Is this really from Minho’s closet?” He mumbled to himself. All of the people he had met so far in Yellowood were fairly shorter than him, none of the three bakers reaching past his ears. Not only height, but they were all very different in build and had different proportions… Whose suit was this?

Hyunjin decided not to dwell on it, already having enough questions that still needed to be answered. He didn’t need another one to be added to his list. 

The suit seemed to be very old-fashioned, definitely a suit from a rich noble in what, the 1820s? The front of the suit was closed by symmetrical gold buttons attached by a matching golden rope. It was a dark navy blue, and the shoulders puffed out at the upper arms. The pants cut off around his calf, seemingly sewn that way, and the pair of long socks that came with the suit reaches up to his knees. Definitely out of fashion, and definitely not something Hyunjin would have chosen for himself, but, aside from a few discolored patches, it was in good shape, and although Hyunjin hated wearing clothes that were disastrously out of style, he accepted the only piece of clean clothing he had available. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


The noon sun taunted him as he ran from the hotel to the bakery, its beams sharply hitting the fresh white snow and making it hard to see in front of him. The cold wind whipped at his arms, but the fabric of his jacket was thick and withstood the harsh breeze.

The bakery, on the other hand, was warm, and bustling with people coming to pick up some bread and pastries. Large shelves and cabinets lined the wall behind the wooden counter, and red bricks lined the opposite side, where customers sat happily, watching the bakers work from the comfort of a log bench lining the wall of the narrow bakery. The suit suddenly seemed stuffy, and the bright blue stood out among the neutral colors.

“Morning, sleepyhead!” A young voice giggled from behind the counter, and he saw Jeongin’s head peeking out. “Or should I say afternoon?” 

The younger smiled evilly and shuffled past his brother, carrying a tray of sizzling jam pastries to the side of the counter nearest to Hyunjin, carefully placing them in a display case. Minho was standing behind the counter as well, presumably working, but at the moment he was just holding a balled-up piece of dough, staring at the boy who had just woken up. More specifically, he was staring at the clothes he was wearing. 

“Where did you get _that?_ ” Minho asked. His tone was neutral, and Hyunjin assumed that he had no part in choosing the suit.

“It was neatly folded up on my desk, and the note said it was from your closet…?” Hyunjin hesitated.

“Yeah, you have so many clothes in your closet,” Jeongin perked up, “I thought I would give one of the longer suits to Hyunjin since his was all dirty. Why did you keep this one anyway? It’s too prim for your sense of style and clearly not in your size.”

Hyunjin looked down at the suit he was wearing, standing out among the crowd, and clearly from 30 or so years ago.

His shoes were nice though. They were in his size and shiny. He liked shiny things. 

“Don’t ask stupid questions,” Minho answered, “You know who owned that coat.”

The older pouted, slapping the dough on a tray nearby, shoving it into the oven and latching the door shut. The younger only shrugged his shoulders and carried on with the display case.

“Jeongin, you take care of the bread in the oven, I’m taking Hyunjin shopping.”

The youngest sighed loudly but nodded his head, and Minho turned around the counter and up towards Hyunjin.

“Our first stop is going to be for fruit, we’ll meet one of my good friends over there. She and her wife run a good business and we get a lot of our produce from them.”

Hyunjin nodded and followed him out of the warm bakery, waving to Jeongin on the way out and not failing to see the scowl on Changbins face from behind the register.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“Minhoooo!” 

A young girl sang behind the register, skipping up to meet them both at the stores’ entrance. It wasn’t much of a store, but a small fenced-in area with a tarp as a ceiling. There was a small fire in the middle, keeping everything warm. The colorful tarp was sagging with the recent snowfall, but it wasn’t caving in as much as Hyunjin expected it to.

“Yerim! How have you been?”

The shorter girl hits Minho on the shoulder, and he dramatically cries out in pain. 

“You know it’s been difficult! All the fruit is starting to freeze and my wife is refusing to give me kisses until I reorganize the oranges and tangerines…”

She looks towards the orange box on Hyunjin’s left, and sure enough, it was filled with round orange shapes, but not all of them were the same size.

Hyunjin winced in secondhand pain. He _definitely_ doesn’t want to be the one separating those. 

“And who’s this? Pretty boy, pretty boy?” She sings as she looks Hyunjin over and turns her focus back on Minho. “Who’s the new bachelor, Minho?”

Minho groans loudly while Hyunjin laughs, but the older doesn’t seem too annoyed. 

“Not a bachelor, Yerim, he’s the new tenant in the west manor. I’m just giving him a look around town.”

“Yeah, sure. You just have a thing for keeping all the pretty boys by your side, don’t you? My friends are starting to get jealous.”

Minho starts scolding Yerim, and Hyunjin tunes out their conversation, focusing on the different fruit around him. Logically speaking, there shouldn’t be too much in stock, with it being winter and all, but there seems to be a full stock of even some fruit that Hyunjin had never seen before. 

The boy started to decide what types of fruit to buy while he was here. He was planning to just buy some cheeses or bread, but it didn’t look like Minho was going to let him choose where to go. On one hand, though, he was thankful. He didn’t know any place in this town, and he finally had somebody who could give him some connections to other people in town. 

“Oh, your name is Hyunjin too?”

He directed his attention back to the two friends, Yerim holding her hands on her hips and Minho mimicking her.

Hyunjin nodded and Yerim walked up to him, inspecting him carefully. She dropped the pointed look when she looked closer at Hyunjin’s suit and turned to Minho.

“Is this…?” She asked lightly. Minho nodded carefully and Yerim turned back around to look up at Hyunjin.

“Fine. You’re handsome enough to be wearing… _his_ suit, and polite enough to hold the name of the most beautiful person in this city. My wife!”

The girl brightened up at the mention of her wife and skipped back behind the countertops filled with fruit.

“Anyway, you guys came in to buy fruit, right? That is what we are, a fruit shop.”

Hyunjin, startled, hopped over to the counter and tried to recall what he decided to get earlier.

“We measure everything in pounds, so if you’re really rich and out of everything like Minho said you were, I can just give you a pound of every fruit we have and discount it by, maybe 15%? Since you’re new.”

Hyunjin considered the deal, but what was he going to make with dragon fruit? Or coconuts? Were coconuts even a fruit?

“I’ll probably just take some apples and peaches, the things that don’t take any time to prepare,” Hyunjins answered, looking around the shop once again. “Do you sell any jams?”

Yerim nodded and reached under her counter to bring up a few glass jars, each filled with a different flavor of jam. 

“Which one would you like? We have peach, strawberry, mango, cherry, rasp-”

“I-I’ll just take strawberry, thank you!” Hyunjin cut her off hesitantly, not ready to hear her name every fruit they had in the shop.

“Alright, I’ll give you an extra one for free since you came in with my old friend. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that grandpa!” 

Minho cleared his throat from the gate of the shop and gave Yerim a threatening smile.

“I’m friends with his friends’ little brother, Jeongin. I’m sure you’ve met him already. We used to go to school together over by the farmer’s wheat fields, so I’m basically part of their family at this point.” 

Hyunjin opened his mouth slightly, surprised.

“You’re the same age as Jeongin? But, aren’t you already married? And you have your own store?”

Yerim giggled hesitantly and held the back of her neck.

“Well, I wouldn’t say we’re the same age, per se-”

“Yerim I’m stealing your wagon!”

Minho’s voice suddenly ripped through the dense atmosphere, and sure enough, Hyujin heard the soft clang of metal wagon wheels drifting through the snow.

“Nooo, not my little red wagon,” Yerim whined, “What do you need the baby wagon for anyway?”

The wagon was just a small, rectangular, metal wagon, with small dents all over the sides from years of use. Minho held on loosely to the wooden handle of the wagon as he dragged it behind him through the shop, picking up some woven bags from under the fruit baskets and filling them with various types of fruit, then placing the bags into the wagon.

Yerim and Hyunjin watched him lazily pick out different fruit, placing each bag on only one half of the wagon, stopping once he reached around 6 bags, including one with the items Hyunjin had asked for.

“You talk too much Yerim, I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut you off before you reveal something you’re not supposed to.” Minho took out a pouch of coins and put an excessive amount on the counter in front of the young girl. 

“Look at you, smart guy,” Yerim chuckled, “If you say it like that you’ll make him more curious. The poor guy is trembling, look at him!”

Minho turned on his heels to look at Hyunjin who, as Yerim said, was wide-eyed and slightly shaking.

“I’m actually ‘trembling’ because it’s really cold,” Hyunjin laughed, “But, I have been noticing that you’re trying to hide something.”

Minho sighed loudly.

“That’s annoying. Nobody in this town knows how to act normal once it comes to pretty boys, huh? Always trying to hint at something special to keep them interested in the town.”

The older walked back to Hyunjin, handing him the wooden handle and taking a seat in the back half of the wagon, placing the fruit bags he had previously stacked into his lap.

“Well, if you’re cold now then I’m sure you’ll appreciate getting some exercise to warm you up.”

He smiled weakly up at Hyunjin, who looked down at the handle, and then at the fresh snow on the ground.

“If you bring me to where I ask I’ll tell you everything that’s going on,” Minho persisted.

“That’s a good deal!” Yerim yelled from the counter. “He’s the most secretive out of all of us but he knows a lot about what happened back in 1820!”

“Damnit Yerim, I wasn’t actually going to tell him!” Minho hissed from the back of the wagon.

“What happened in 1820?” Hyunjin asked, finally one step closer to finding out what everybody was so keen on hiding.

“Yeah, Minho, just tell him and get it over with. If he’s here for business he probably won’t leave that easily anyway."

“Y-yeah, I won’t leave that easily!” Hyunjin struggled to take Yerim’s side of the argument, hoping Minho would give up and tell him what happened in 1820, but he honestly wasn’t sure what he was getting into.

Minho let out yet another long sigh and stuck one of his legs out of the wagon, using it to push against the ground and propel the wagon forward, out of the fruit shop.

“I’ll be seeing you later, Yerim.” He scowled.

Yerim cheered in response and gave Hyunjin a wink and a smile before heading back behind the fruit shop.

Hyunjin gave into the force of the wagon pushing against his leg, and he began to pull the wagon out of the shop.

“Where do you want me to take you?” He asked Minho.

“We’ll go visit the jewel mines first since I know you’ll want to know where those are. Then we can head over to the wheat fields and I’ll let you in on one of the secrets Yellowood has,” Minho was bent over the bags of fruit, holding his head with his hand. “I’ll let you know how to get there, just keep walking down this road to the east. There’s going to be a left turn, but it’s going to take a while to reach.”

Hyunjin was content with the answer and begrudgingly began to drag the heavy wagon across the freshly fallen snow.

  
  
  
  
  
  


The town was much livelier than the previous night. The sun was shining brightly, people were rushing from store to store, and groups of friends rode in horse-drawn carriages down the long road of the town.

Shops were lit brightly, and a few parlors even had their door open to let in the fresh air. Paper snowflakes that Hyunjin previously hadn’t seen were strung across the wide road, connecting the tall black kerosene lamps that stood on either side. Every few meters, a large pine tree would split the road between eastbound and westbound, making space for small wooden benches or carefully placed chalkboards advertising a nearby store or parlor. 

The buildings on Hyunjins right side were tall, the space between them creating a small alleyway, brightly lit with more kerosene lamps to make up for the loss of sunlight. 

Hyunjin carefully walked through the snow, the wagon wheels refusing the spin in the soft snow, occasionally getting stuck in a particularly muddy snow pile, and forcing the boy to put more effort into pulling the already heavy wagon. People who walked by smiled and chuckled at the boy in the wagon, sparing only a glance to the younger. 

The tall boy turned around briefly to check on Minho, who was looking forward with glossy eyes, head lolling to one side.

“Minho, are you feeling ok?” Hyunjin asked.

“Hm? Yeah, I’m fine, just give me a bit.”

Minho readjusted himself in the wagon, looking around at his surroundings. They’d gotten fairly far down the never-ending road, and Minho nodded towards a small dirt road on Hyunjins left.

“That’s the road that goes down to the jewel mines. It might be icy though, so be careful.” The older pulled the bags of fruit closer to his face, using them as a pillow as Hyunjin sped up towards the tiny trail peeking out from behind a tailor's workshop. 

As Hyunjin got closer to the trail, he realized that there were no longer kerosene lamps lighting the way down, and he made a mental note to only come down during the early day when it was still visible outside. The trail itself was bumpier than the main road, and it felt empty. The trail dipped down slightly, creating a small slope down towards the mines, and Hyunjin had to push the wagon back in an effort to keep it from hitting the back of his heels. Nobody walked past them on the trail either, save for the occasional bird or rabbit that would come by.

“I can see the mine from here, is there a shop set up nearby to buy the jewels or is it inside the mine itself?” 

Hyunjin quickened his pace, still making sure to keep the wagon a safe distance away. Minho grumbled from his seat in the wagon, and he squinted to look towards the mine.

“Oh, I guess they’re closed today. They do that sometimes, closing without a proper warning at the beginning of the trail. It isn’t too long of a walk though.”

The older ran his hand through his hair, tucking a few annoying strands behind his ears. 

“Usually there’ll be a small stand set up right in front of the mines or to the side, depending on how the weather is.” 

He nodded again and smiled at seeing Hyunjin’s exasperated expression.

“So now I have to go back up the hill?” The younger groaned. “It was hard enough getting down here, isn’t there a shortcut or something?”

“We can reach the wheat fields through the lakeside port. It's right around the mines, you’ll just have to pull the wagon up the hill on your left and it’ll be ‘smooth sailing’ from there.”

Minho laughed at his own pun and grabbed the sides of the wagon when Hyunjin yanked it forward.

“Can’t you just get out and lessen the weight a little bit?” The younger sighed.

“Are you calling me fat?”

“That’s not-! No, I was just- help me out a little, please?”

“I’m feeling unwell, Jinnie. And we made a deal, too! I won’t tell you what happened unless you take me where I want to go. As of right now, I want to go to the wheat fields.”

Hyunjin groaned loudly and he pulled harshly at the wooden handle of the wagon, struggling to pull it over the steep hill. Right as he neared the top, the noise-canceling effect of the snow was gone and he was able to clearly hear the waves of the lake crashing along the brick wall put up near the shore. The shore continued on his left, and he spotted a dock in the distance. On his right, a wide field of brightly colored flowers. Daisies, maybe?

“What do you guys sell here, anyway? You said the lake is haunted, and I doubt any normal person wants to cross it on a boat if it’s haunted,” Hyunjin asked. “Do you guys have fishing and that kind of stuff here too?”

“Here come walking questionnaire Jinnie again,” Minho joked, looking out across the lake. “You’re right that no normal person wants to cross that lake by boat, but we have a few free spirits that are trying to find out what’s wrong with it.”

The older sat up straighter in the wagon, taking one leg out from inside of the wagon and letting it dangle off the side, only a few inches away from the ground. 

“Let me tell you a little story about this lake, now that you’re here. You see, each year there’s less and less fish in the lake, so people have started suspecting that there’s something big in the lake eating them all faster than they’re able to reproduce. That’s extremely strange, especially since a few decades back we had a huge problem with an invasive species that seemed to double in population each month. The fisherman back then really had a hard time with that one! Every mating season I was out here with my dad and his friends on this huge fishing rig, trying our best to spot any possible nesting grounds that the fish would have and destroying them to prevent them from reproducing and eating the fish that made up our largest seafood export. 

The whole plan worked for a while until a few years later, all the fish just started disappearing. First, it took out the species we didn’t really rely on, like turtles or small frogs, so we didn’t notice it too much. It became a problem when the demand became more than our supply. The fisherman realized that our demand hadn’t risen at all, it was just the supply that had decreased, so my father's team and a few others decided to go out into the waters to do a scan of the lake, looking for anything that might point to a new nest of the invasive species of fish, or anything else that could’ve prevented the fish from reproducing.

Nearly all of the boats from that search came back damaged at the hull, and some of the fishermen claimed that their boat had nearly capsized because of the large holes caused by something in the water. Obviously, none of the boats were able to reach the opposite side of the lake, and we’ve never really gone back out into deeper waters since. We just watched as the amount of fish dwindled every year.”

Hyunjin listened to the older’s story intently, but one small detail caught his attention.

“Minho, you say this you went out with your dad on these fishing rigs, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.” Minho looked curiously up at Hyunjin.

“And you said that this was a few decades ago, right…?”

The older suddenly became silent, and his face grew pale.

“How old are you, exactly?”

Minho sighed and cleared his throat, continuing on with his story.

“That’s not important. Don’t interrupt when I’m explaining something you wanted to know in the first place.”

Hyunjin nodded his head and continued to walk along the empty dock, slowly nearing the first set of ships on the port.

“It was only three years after it became really bad that we had some interesting new people come through the town - pretty boys, as Yerim called them - and they heard about the whole haunted lake situation, so that stayed to check it out. They’re my old friends’ best friends, so I thought they would move away after what happened, but something was keeping them here. I still see them here at the port a lot. They’re usually out on their boats, trying to find out what’s in the water, but it just seems like we’re never going to find it. So the rest of the town just says the lake is haunted and goes about their day.”

“That seems, kind of weird? Why don’t you want to find out what’s in the lake, aren’t you curious? I bet it’s a shark.”

“Honestly, I don’t really know if I want to find out what’s in there. From what I've... _experienced_ , it might be related to the incident in 1820. If it is, then...”

Minho’s sentence dragged off and he looked back up at Hyunjin. 

“And it’s definitely _not_ a shark. We would’ve found it if it was a shark.”

He mumbled the last part cutely and crossed his arms, swinging his stray leg back into the safety of the wagon.

“Well, thanks for telling me anyway.” Hyunjin said.

“Mhm,” Minho responded. “The lake isn’t too important anyway.”

The snow had stopped falling a while ago, and the pair reached the part of the dock that was busier and full of merchants trading goods and negotiating along the landside stalls. The boats on the right were untouched, but the paths on the dock were well shoveled to allow anyone to pass through easily.

“Minho!”

A kind but frantic voice shouted over the crowd of people on the dock, and a young boy with a small face and curly black hair ran towards them.

“Ah, that’s one of the friends,” Minho smiled, staying seated in the wagon, but waving politely to the boy who stopped at the side of the wagon, standing between Hyunjin and the older.

“Kevin, this is Hyunjin, he’s the new tenant of the west manor. I’m showing him around town today. Hyunjin, this is Kevin. One of Li-… One of the bravest fishermen out here on the dock!”

The sentence finished abruptly, and while Hyunjin was left wondering what Minho was trying to say, Kevin let out a loud cheer. 

“Are you sure you’re the one giving the tour, though? Looks like he’s the one in charge. Anyway! I stopped by the bakery today but you weren’t there! I asked Jeongin’s older brother where you went, and he said you went shopping, so I ran around the store looking for you. I couldn’t find you at all so I just came back here, and I finally found you! Oh, boy, do I have a story for you.”

The boy was out of breath, taking quickly and taking sporadic breaks to take a deep breath or cough. He squatted down to get closer to Minho in the wagon and continued.

“So, we have a lead on whatever is going on in the lake.” He whispered, but Hyunjin was easily able to pick up on what they were saying. He looked away from them, but he kept one ear open.

“We’ve been getting a ton of weird energy from the bottom of the lake, and we’re starting to think it’s some kind of evil spirit like you suspected at first. Yes, I know the consequences, yes, I’ve already heard your speech about ‘what he would’ve wanted’ a hundred times, but no, I want to know what that thing is and I’m not going to stop going down there with the rest of the gang. We don't get enough information when we stay at the surface.”

“I told you it’s safer on the surface, why don’t you listen? I don’t need to lose any more of you.”

“It doesn’t matter, that thing might’ve been what threw this town into a pitfall, maybe it was the thing that took our friends from us, but we won’t find out if we don’t try hard enough to find it.”

Hyunjin bit the inside of his cheek, and his fist tightened around the handle of the wagon, knuckles turning white. He patiently waited for an answer from Minho, but the older must have noticed Hyunjin tense up, and lowered his voice even more. The next thing he knew, Kevin slapped the side of the wagon and stood up, saluting to Hyunjin and carrying on down the dock towards another group of fishermen, or sailors? Hyunjin wasn’t sure what to call them.

“How much of that did you hear?” Minho questioned from behind him. 

“W-what makes you think I heard anything?” 

Hyunjin tried to lie.

“I couldn’t hear anything over the sound of the waves. You guys were talking privately anyway, so I turned away.”

Minho scoffed and slapped at the wooden handle, startling Hyunjin.

“You’re a terrible liar. Your ears are red and you tensed up when Kevin was talking. You definitely heard the whole thing.”

Hyunjin shut his eyes tightly and placed both hands on the handle, holding it even tighter.

“So are you going to tell me what the hell is going on or not. Evil spirits? ‘Old friends?’ A haunted lake? Who’s this suit from, anyway? How old are you? How old are any of you? What is wrong with this place?!”

Hyunjin began to walk backward, still gripping at the wagon, not breaking eye contact with the older, who’s eyes had already darkened.

“I told you, we have to reach that wheat field first. There are too many people here. Too many opinions.”

Hyunjin wanted to scream out of frustration, but he only gritted his teeth and quickened his pace down the dock.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Hyunjin walked briskly down the lakeside, wooden handle in one hand, a tight fist with the other. He ignored the nasty looks from the fisherman, not towards him, but the wagon. He was frustrated enough, he just wanted to reach the wheat fields and learn what was going on.

“Where’s the wheat field?” Hyunjin asked pointedly.

There was a soft rustling behind him before he heard a soft, “Ah,” and Minho once again took his foot out of the wagon to try to turn it in a specific direction. He placed his left foot on the ground, and Hyunjin took the hint to turn left at the next opening between the stalls.

Minho hummed lightly from the back of the wagon, leaning back and looking towards the wheat fields.

“There’s going to be a small clearing somewhere up the hill on the right. It’s a decent distance away from the farm. Just cut through the wheat and you’ll get there.”

Hyunjin obliged, and angrily pulled the wagon up the small incline, tugging harshly at the handle as he walked up the rocky hill, trying to make the ride as bumpy as possible for his passenger.

He reached the top of the clearing of the wheat field, the plants reaching up to his chest.

Minho slowly climbed out of the wagon and sat on the snow, using the tail from his trench coat as a seat. He motioned for the younger to sit down across from him, but the older looked at him with doubt.

“Minho, why is the wheat so tall?” He asked.

“It’s wheat, it’s supposed to be that tall.” The older answered.

“It’s winter. Wheat isn’t supposed to be this tall in the winter.”

“There’s a lot of things you still need to learn about this town,” Minho rose from his seat in the snow, standing in front of the shining lake, his silhouette nearly glowing. The older stood in front of the sun for a moment longer, holding his head. “You’ll learn about them eventually, but I don’t think you’ll like what you hear.” 

Minho turned to take one last look at Hyunjin, a yellow ring shining brightly around his iris. He smiled and fell to the ground just as the sun hit the highest point in the sky. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thats chapter 3!
> 
> i have yet to figure out a schedule for posting, but hopefully I'll be able to upload a new chapter once a month at the least. i should be able to upload fairly quickly, with it being quarantine and all, but if it's taking me too long hmu on twitter!!
> 
> up next: thrift shopping !! and new discoveries !!


	4. the trust one craves

Minho wasn’t going to wake up that easily, and he lay passed out on the ground no matter how roughly Hyunjin tried to shake him awake. The faint glow he had before was gone, and the older seemed unusually warm for it being a winter afternoon under the shadows of tall stalks of wheat. 

“Minho, wake up!” Hyunjin urged, picking the older up off the ground and placing him back into the back of the wagon. “You didn’t make me bring you here just so that you could fall asleep, right?” He laughed to himself, hands trembling from the cold as he pulled the wagon back in the direction of the hotel.

“I really hate you right now, making me drive you around everywhere…”

The younger sighed and made his way back the way they came, turning in between the larger shop stalls and taking the empty alleys between the main hall and the fishing stalls. He reached the front of the hotel unnoticed, and his ears were bright red. The sun was already beginning to set, the winter days only getting shorter since Hyunjin arrived.

Well, maybe he wasn’t completely unnoticed.

Jeongin was already running out of the bakery, his brother frantically trying to do three things at once on the other side of the window.

“Is he ok?” The shaggy-haired boy asked. 

“I don’t know,” Hyunjin answered, out of breath. “We were up by the wheat fields and he suddenly passed out!” 

“Did anything weird happen before he passed out?”

“You mean like, glowing? That kind of stuff? Because it looked like he was glowing.”

“He’ll be fine then. Follow me inside, I’ll get a couch for him.”

Hyunjin gave the younger a quizzical look and followed him inside, leaving the wagon out on the porch and setting the bags of fruit in front of the door. He threw himself on the next open chair and let out a deep sigh, legs already burning from the numbing cold.

“Does he need any hot water? I’m freezing and he’s wearing even lighter clothes than I am.” The boy looked up from his spot on the chair and spotted Jeongin lightly patting Minho’s forehead with a wet cloth from the floor, the older draped over the long chaise sofa. 

“Yea, he’ll be fine. This isn’t the first time this has happened, anyway.”

A rough voice cut through the calm atmosphere, and Changbin was standing at the door, looking disheveled and breathing quickly. 

“Is he okay?” 

“Yeah,” Jeongin answered. “Is everything alright at the bakery?”

“The bakery’s fine, I finished up most of the things that we were doing and Haseul offered to take over.”

“Ah, Haseul’s great. She took over for you so many times, why don’t you just make her a co-owner already? You know you need it for your own health too.”

Changbin sighs and sits down on the floor next to Jeongin, still not noticing Hyunjin behind them.

“What did you mean by, ‘this isn’t the first time this has happened’, though? Has he passed out like this before?”

“Oh, you heard that? It’s not important, we just need to make sure he cools down a bit and he’ll wake up again.”

Changbin shifts in his seat to get more comfortable and steadies his eyes on Jeongin.

“It is important, though. He might be sick. Tell me what’s going on so that I can help next time this happens.”

Jeongin hums and continues to dab at Minho’s forehead with the cloth, soaking it in the water bucket next to him every few seconds. 

Changbin continues talking, “Don’t you think it’s a bit weird to be using cold water, anyway? It’s the middle of winter, shouldn’t you be trying to warm the poor guy up?”

“You wouldn’t get it,” Jeongin sighs. “Just leave it to me.”

“I want to be able to help too, Jeonginnie,” the older pouted. “Pleeease tell me?” He fluttered his eyelashes in Jeongin’s direction playfully, but the younger only sighed louder and continued to work.

“I told you, Changbin, leave it to me.” His tone was serious, and Hyunjin quietly shifted further back into his seat.

“I don’t like it when you keep things from me Jeongin. Tell your older brother what’s going on. Don’t think I forgot what happened this morning either. How do you know who that coat belonged to? How did you get into Minho’s closet, too? The guy always keeps it locked up.”

“There are some things I can’t tell you, I’m sorry.”

“What do you mean you can’t tell me? We’ve been together since you were born, you should be able to tell me anything.”

“I made a promise, Changbin. I can’t tell you, and it’s better that you don’t know.”

“Listen, you know I don’t like being left out. Tell me what’s going on or you’re kicked out of the bakery for a whole week.”

Jeongin scoffed jokingly, “You’ll never do it! You need me in there and you know it.”

“I can always get someone else to take your place, Jeonginnie!” His tone switched to be playful again, but Hyunjin felt a wave of frustration behind it. 

“Yeah? Like who? You won’t replace me with Haseul because you can’t spend more than 5 minutes around her, or anyone else for that matter. You won’t hire Minho either because you don’t trust him, I know you don’t!”

“Who said, I can’t spend time around Haseul and other people?” Changbin sputtered, “I’ll have you know that I’m great around other people!”

“Yeah, when I’m around! When I’m gone you get all nervous and start messing things up. Your whole ‘cool guy’ facade goes crashing down and you have to leave and cool down.”

Changbin huffed in annoyance and turned towards Minho. “What do you mean I don’t trust him? I trust Minho. He’s been working with us for a long time, he knows how to do things.”

“That’s just what I mean,” Jeongin sighed. “You can trust him as an employee and coworker, but have you ever had a decent conversation with him?”

“No, not really. The guy always seems like he’s hiding something, I don’t like that.” 

“See, that’s exactly what I’m talking about! If it was only the two of you on a shift I would be terrified to know what would happen. The atmosphere would be so tense in the cafe, I’m pretty sure we’d lose customers.”

“Hey, are you really expecting me to trust this guy? You mention anything from the past and he spaces out and starts mumbling some weird things about ‘the manor’ or the ‘poor kids’. It creeps me out!”

“That’s because you don’t understand! You don’t know what happened before so it creeps you out but I promise you he’s trustworthy.”

“Then tell me what it is! It’s clearly something important, why can’t you just tell me?” 

“I made a promise not to tell anyone! Why can’t you go get Haseul to tell you or something? Oh wait, you can’t! Because you can’t look anybody in this town in the eye!” Hyunjin flinched as Jeongin began to raise his voice. 

“That’s why you chose a location in this corner of the town too, isn’t it?” The younger continued. “No matter how many times Minho, Haseul and I try to tell you that we’ll make better business if we rent out that old building in the Main Hall, you refuse! You want us to stay locked away in this corner of the town forever, don’t you?”

“That’s-!”

“Don’t try to argue with me on this, you haven’t trusted this place since our parents left us here! You never go anywhere near the Main Hall, you can’t spend any time alone with the patrons or with any coworkers, you don’t trust a single person in this town and it’s starting to make me really mad!”

“How am I supposed to trust anyone? There’s this mysterious incident from 30 years ago that people refuse to speak about, there are meaningless rules about closing up shop and not going out past sundown because of bears, which, by the way, I have never seen on these streets! And now you’re telling me that my own employee, whom I already do not trust, has been regularly passing out? And that you’ve been taking care of him without ever telling me?”

“Nobody ever tells you what’s going on because you’re never open to listening to anybody! Once they mention something about the hauntings or magic you scoff and turn them away! People have just given up on trying to tell you because you push them away so much, can’t you see that? I’m pretty sure I’m the only person you ever talk to and it’s becoming such a burden! I want to make friends without my brother constantly checking over and controlling who I talk to and when I go out. I used to have so many friends before our parents left. Before you were in charge.”

“What I don’t understand is how you trust the people in this town so easily! Our parents were nearly killed because of them, a lot of people here were killed because of them, what if we’re next, Jeongin? What if Hyunjin’s next? Nothing good has ever happened in this town, and we can move away the second I save up enough money to leave this place for good.”

“‘We?’ Who said I’m going to leave with you!?” Jeongin snapped his head towards Changbin, tears rimming his eyes. He lowered his voice and finally stated through clenched teeth. “I’m staying in this town with my friends even if it kills me. You can leave and be alone for all I care.”

A small moment of silence followed as both of the older boys processed the weight of the younger’s words, and Changbin’s shoulders slumped down as he held his head in his hands.

The younger stood up and picked up the boy still lying motionless on the couch, walking silently out of the room and refusing to look at Hyunjin.

Changbin finally stood up not long after Jeongin and turned to face the boy sitting in the chair. His tear-stained eyes widened in surprise and he took a step back before his face softened again. 

“I-I’m sorry, you weren’t supposed to…” The older mumbled, rubbing at his eyes. “I’ll get going.”

Hyunjin sat for a while longer, blinking thoughtlessly, and rose from his chair carefully. Grabbing his coat, he followed Changbin out the door, hoping to catch up with him. The older hadn’t gone too far, just further down the side road to a part of town Hyunjin didn’t quite recognize. The buildings were smaller and the roads weren’t as well lit, the alleys dirtier and the storefronts less organized.

“Changbin, wait!” He called after him. 

He picked up speed, jogging lightly to where the older was walking briskly down the side of the road.

“Is everything ok?” He asked the older, finally at a distance short enough to be heard without being too loud.

“Yea, I’m fine, just needed to take a break,” The older sighed. “I’m sorry you needed to hear all that.”

“No, don’t apologize. It’s my fault for staying. I’ve never had a sibling but I’m guessing these types of things happen all the time.”

The older nodded quietly and made his way down the road, watery eyes focusing on the workers lighting kerosene lamps on the side of the road.

“What’s it like?” Changbin asked.

“What’s what like?”

“Not having any siblings. What’s that like?”

“Ah, being an only child? It’s not the worst thing ever, but it gets really lonely sometimes. My house was really big, and the only people I had to talk to were butlers or staff, so it honestly made the feeling worse. All alone in a huge, empty house, with nobody your age you can talk to… It was better when my parents came home from business trips because then I was allowed to go out to see my friends.”

“Didn’t you go to school? You could see your friends there, right?”

“I was homeschooled, so the only time I could see friends was when our parents arranged a meeting with the parents from other houses. They would talk about business stuff and leave the kids to play outside.”

“Wow, that sounds,” Changbin hesitated for a second. “Horrible.”

Hyunjin laughed softly and nodded. “Yeah, I only really had close friends later on in my life when my parents started to let me go out of the house by myself. I met more people out in the town, and that’s part of the reason why I wanted to move out here too. To meet more people.”

“That’s right, you came here alone…”

“What about you, Changbin? How long have you been in this town?

“It’s been a few years now I think… I came here when I was about 13, so Jeongin and I spent about half of our lives in this town. When I was 18 our parents gave the business to me and my brother and left the town without a word. I can’t blame them, the town didn’t treat them well, but my younger brother never forgave them.”

“Your parents left the whole business to you and left? Isn’t that a bit…”

“Our parents weren’t bad people, I swear, they were really kind to us when we were young and they were just… good people in general. There was an incident in this town that changed them though. They didn’t tell me what it was but it has something to do with being outside at night, definitely. When they came home from a late-night out they started acting differently. It wasn’t very obvious but something was different. They moved away a few months later, the day after my 18th birthday, and we haven’t gotten so much as a letter from them. I haven’t really trusted anything in this town since then, but I’m glad they got out of here.”

The two boys walked down the street silently and watched as the kerosene lamps, now all lit up, flickered and cast long shadows on the ground. Changbin looked up from the eyes and Hyunjin saw a sparkle in his eye and he focused his eyes on a shop at the very end of the street.

“Hey, do you want to go shopping before we go back home?” Changbin asked, rubbing his eyes the last time and putting a weak smile on his face.

Hyunjin smiled back lightly. “Of course.”

  
“This is my favorite store in the entire town, it sells trendy items but at really low prices.” Changbin headed straight towards a brightly lit store at the end of the road, where the pavement ended and the gravel trails into the woods began.

“I think that’s a thrift store, isn’t it?” Hyunjin squinted at the sign in front of the door, which read, “The Wolf’s New Clothes” with the words “Thrift Shop” written lightly under it.

“Let me have this, Hyunjin.” The older laughed, and he opened the door into the shop. 

The shop was exactly what Hyunjin expected after seeing the outside. Some wooden panels were out of place at the front of the shop, and the curtains were slightly dusty. Inside, it was no different, with old light fixtures and a dusty front countertop.

“Good evening, Changbin,” A young girl stood leaning on the counter at the entrance of the shop. Her dress was all black, with puffy shoulders and bright white buttons running down the middle. “Coming in to try on flashy clothes and leave without buying anything as usual?”

“Of course, Olivia.”

“That’ll be Madame Hye to you, sir,” She smirked at the shorter and looked up towards Hyunjin. “And what’s your name?”

“My name is Hyunjin.”

“Alright Hyunjin, would you like to get some measurements before you go up to shop? We offer free tailoring on any luxury items that you happen to find.” The young girl straightened up and took out a roll of measuring tape from behind the counter.

“Oh, that sounds great but I already know my measurements.”

Olivia smiled with relief and she put the tape measurer back under the counter. “Thank you for coming prepared! The women’s clothing can be found on the second floor, men’s clothing on the third, and accessories and shoes can be found on the fourth floor. Fitting rooms and tailoring will be here on the first floor behind the counter, so let me know if you need to try anything on.”

Hyunjin nodded and began to walk towards the staircase with Changbin when Olivia yelled out, “Wait!”

The two boys turned around as she ran into the fitting rooms behind her and came out with a few articles of clothing.

“Changbin, these are from that Spear collection you’re always leaving in the back. They were turned in last week so I saved them for when you came back in.”

Changbins face lit up as he took the group of black clothes from the young girl. 

“I see I’m coming in too much lately, you found out what I like...” The older chuckled nervously and laid the clothes over his arm to hold them comfortably. 

“Well, that’s my job, isn’t it?” The girl replied sarcastically. “Now go, shop, and maybe buy something today, Changbin? I’ve been doing so well in customer service lately!”

“You get braver every time I come in here,” The older stated, “If I find something nice, I’ll think about buying it. Maybe.”

“I have never met a more frugal man,” Olivia shook her head jokingly and went back into the fitting rooms. “Call me if you need anything!”

Once Olivia was out of sight, the two boys walked up the stairs to the third floor and began to look for clothes.

The shop was relatively small, especially compared to the ones Hyunjin had been in. It was closer to the size of a small boutique, but the quality of the clothing seemed to be pretty good. There were rows of long coats and suit sets hanging along the three walls, and a large mirror under the staircase leading to the fourth floor.

Hyunjin started to check out the clothing on the racks first, mostly blouses and other various undershirts with the occasional pair of socks or pants. Hyunjin looked towards Changbin, who had already picked out a handful of items.

“Do you come in here often? You know the girl up front pretty well.” Hyunjin focused on a row of beige pants, hoping to find some to replace the Monte Lourie pants he had to get rid of just a few weeks prior.

“I come in here whenever I get stressed out with what’s happening out there. Every month there’s something new going on, a new rumor, a new person coming into town, another death…” He trails off, staring at the stack of clothing draped over his arm. He picks up the second shirt in the pile and places it back onto the rack. “It gets to be too much sometimes so I come here to focus on something I like. Olivia probably got used to me coming in so many times, so she’s more comfortable talking to me. I have been coming here nearly every week for the past few years, after all.”

“You don’t seem too close to her, though. Does it have to do something with her being from the town?” Hyunjin flinched at the end of his own sentence, hoping it wasn’t going too far.

Changbin just looked at him pointedly and sighed. “As much as I’d like to disagree, you’re right. Jeongin’s the only person I trusted because he’s the only one that knows as much as I do about this town. At least, he used to be. You’re trustworthy because you actually know less than I do about this place.” He laughed and continued to look at the clothing racks.

“Olivia seems nice, though? She seems trustworthy.” Hyunjin mumbles. He walks along the floor and finally chooses a pair of pants that look closest to what his Monte Lourie set had. 

“You trust people so easily, don’t you? You didn’t even question our hotel when you first came in, didn’t question Minho, and went right out with him when he took you shopping… You probably didn’t even think twice about following him into this town here, didn’t you?”

Hyunjin had his mouth open to retaliate, but the older was right.

“I-I had my doubts! I didn’t blindly follow them… in…” He trailed off when he realized that he did, in fact, blindly follow Minho into the town, into the hotel, and wherever else the older wanted to go. “At least nothing bad happened to me!” He finally defended himself and giggled innocently as he skipped over to where Changbin was standing. “Are those the clothes you’re going to try on?” He asked.

“Mhm,” Changbin hummed. “Half of the pile is the clothes that Olivia saved, and there are also some unorthodox pieces that I try on for fun. They don’t have any useful purpose, so I don’t buy them. Why don’t you pick out some items just for fun? I don’t want you to just be waiting while I try all these on, go have fun!”

Hyunjin sighed jokingly and turned to face the suit sets on the wall. Most of them were regular brands that didn’t cost too much, but others were very clearly luxury suit sets, and looking at the price tag, very heavily discounted. “I guess I’ll just take a few…”

It had been about two hours since the duo had visited the small thrift store, and Hyunjin was sitting on the large chair in the boutique, tired from trying on so many different sets of clothing. When he thought he was done with one suit, Changbin would come and throw another overcoat set over the top of his fitting room. (“This one has jewels embroidered in the back, they match your earrings!”)

Changbin had finished trying on most of his suits as well, many of them being over the top and sending Hyunjin into a fit of laughter as the older came out of his fitting them. The older had a very stoic and cool image, and Hyunjin wasn’t used to seeing him in flashy suits with feathers sewn into the lapels or voluminous fur lining the bottom of floor-length overcoats.

“That last one fit you really well, Changbin, why don’t you buy it?” He pointed to the overcoat with heavy gray fur.

“That one does fit my image well, but it's expensive. When would I wear that anyway? The fur on the sleeves is heavy and I can’t raise my arms, the whole coat is heavy, there’s no practical use for it,” The older walks towards the coat and looks at it closely. “It’d be nice to have but I don’t think I can afford something like this anyway.”

“I’ll buy it for you.”

Changbin turned on his heels and scoffed, holding the coat in his hands. “Look, I know you’re rich and all but you don’t have to. The coat really is expensive. Buy something for yourself instead of me.”

Hyunjin sat up from the chair and took the coat from Changbin’s hands, holding it out in front of him.

“You like it though, don’t you?”

“Yes but-”

“Then let me buy it for you. Think of it as a ‘thank you’ gift, okay?”

“For what?”

“For letting me stay at your house. Apartment? Hotel? Whatever the place you own is.”

The older groaned loudly as Hyunjin went up to the counter with the pants and heavy overcoat, Changbin stalking right behind him.

“You two should’ve gone home a looong time ago,” Olivia stated as the two came up to the front. She was squatted down below the counter, reorganizing and shuffling items around.

“What do you mean? It isn’t that late,” Changbin countered. “The hotel is right down the road anyway.”

“You people aren’t supposed to be out past sundown, remember?” She drawled, holding her arm up above the counter and pointing outside the window, where it was already pitch black.

“You people?” Changbin mumbled emotionlessly, but he looked up at Hyunjin with an “I told you so” look in his eyes.

The older looked outside of the window and spotted some people outside, but when he brought it up, Olivia stood up from the counter and squinted outside the window herself, walking closer to get a better look.

“They aren’t supposed to be all the way down here, they usually stay back over by the Main Hall.”

When she had her back to the boys, Changbin lightly hit Hyunjin’s chest repeatedly.

“I told you something was up with the Main Hall!” He whispered, his eyes shining brightly. 

Hyunjin faked a reaction to the light punches and turned back to look at the windows, but the boys’ joking smiles dropped when they saw people walking towards the shop.

“You two, get into the fitting rooms and be quiet. Wait until I come and get you.” Olivia ordered. 

“Yes ma'am.” Hyunjin threw some coins on the counter to pay for the clothes and walked briskly towards the fitting rooms, dragging Changbin behind him. They sat inside one of the stalls and waited silently. They were silent for a few moments, listening to the door open and Olivia greet the customers. 

Hyunjin frowned. He couldn’t hear the customers from the fitting room. Changbin opened his mouth to say something, but the younger quickly put a hand over his mouth and shook his head violently. He took the hint and sulked in the chair next to him, continuing to sit silently.

When they heard heavy footsteps heading up to the floors above them, they looked up and then at each other, both with a questioning look on their face. Suddenly Changbin got a worried look on his face, and Hyunjin tilted his head in response.

What is it? The younger mouthed to him, hoping he’d understand.

It’s dark out. He mouthed back. Hyunjin tilted his head even further. My parents? Changbin opened his eyes wider, emphasizing the words.

Hyunjin opened his mouth in shock and nodded slowly, finally understanding. 

They might just be in danger.

They nearly jumped when there was a light knock on the door to their fitting room. “Get out of there!” A light feminine voice came from the other side. Recognizing the voice, both boys stood up and gathered their belongings, quietly opening the door.

“I got the payment for the stuff, now leave! Hurry!” She shooed the two out of the fitting room and grabbed Hyunjin’s hand, putting some smaller coins in his palm and closing his fingers around them. “Here’s your change, now keep your heads down and look natural, but get home as quick as you can! They’re not supposed to be down here this late, not today.”

“What’s not supposed to be down here this late?” Hyunjin whispers, the duo already being pushed out the door.

Olivia looked them in the eyes for the first time since they walked out of the fitting rooms, her skin pale and eyes sunken in. “The vampire.” She states, her fangs on full display as she pronounced the word. 

The door shut tightly in front of them and she drew the blinds from the inside of the shop, leaving the two older boys on the street.

“Let’s go home,” Changbin whispered shakily.

Hyunjin nodded wordlessly and followed the older down the street to the hotel, both boys walking down the street briskly and not daring to look back at the shop.

  
They ended up back in the hotel safely, only noticing a few other people walking down the street. Changbin held his coat closer to his chest, and Hyunjin pushed away the thought that they may not actually be ‘people’. The kerosene lit up the streets well but created long, skewed shadows that made Hyunjin’s heart beat faster whenever they passed over his own.

The hotel was still lit up brightly, but the door was locked when they arrived. Changbin hesitated when he brought his fist up to knock, but eventually rapped lightly on the door, both boys flinching at the hollow noise. Hyunjin saw something move at the window to his right, and the door eventually opened, Jeongin nearly throwing the two boys inside.

“Where were you?!” He shouted softly. “We were worried sick!” 

Changbin hung his large coat on the rack, Hyunjin following him and putting his own pair of pants on the staircase.

“We went out to shop for a little bit,” Changbin defended himself. “Am I not allowed to leave the house anymore?” He laughed lightly, but the shaking in his voice was obvious. He eventually broke down and hugged Jeongin tightly, both brothers now holding each other in the front room.

“Did they come back?” Another voice asked lightly from around the corner. 

“Minho! Are you feeling better?” Hyunjin skipped over to the other room, ignoring his own shaking hands.

“Don’t worry about me, what about you? I can’t believe you two were out there alone at night! That’s dangerous!” The older was laying on the long chaise lounge in the side, propping himself up on his elbows. 

“You didn’t tell me there were vampires out there!” The younger whispered. 

“Who told you there are vampires?” Minho made a face and turned on his side, facing Hyunjin, who had sat down on the floor in front of him.

“A vampire! A fucking vampire told me, Minho! She had fangs and everything!” He hit the edge of the chaise lounge in frustration.

Minho sat up straight and sighed loudly. “What kind of vampire just lets people see them like that?”

“So you don’t deny that those are vampires out there?”

“Yes, I won’t deny that now that you know.”

“So you lied to me that first day. When you brought me down here.”

“I had to, Jinnie. I couldn’t scare you off so early, I had to make an excuse.”

Hyunjin huffed from his seat on the floor and he backed away when Minho began to ruffle his hair. 

“No, no more ‘nice Hyunjin’ until you tell me and Changbin what the hell is going on.”

“Is your mouth always this filthy when you’re mad?”

Changbin and Jeongin walk into the room shortly after, and Hyunjin stands up.

“Here, we could do this now. Jeongin, you’re not off the hook either. Sit.”

Changbin opened his mouth to say something, but looked at his little brother again and motioned for him to sit down as well. Hyunjin dragged a pair of chairs from against the wall and placed them in front of the boys sitting on the couch, one confused, the other angry. He sat on one and let Changbin sit on the other, both staring into the boys sitting on the lounge.

“Now, you two better tell us what’s going on or I’m going to start being very uncooperative.” 

“Well, you already know that those people outside are vampires, what else do you want!” Minho spit out and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Vampires?” Jeongin gulped.

“Hey hey hey, you may be older but don’t forget that I can beat you back into unconsciousness.” 

Changbin takes off his overcoat and reveals his arms, further proving his point.

“Bin, that’s a bit violent, don’t you think?” Jeongin whispers, scooting further back into the couch uncomfortably. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll take him outside so that you don’t have to see.” He gave his younger a fake smile and scowled at the caramel-haired boy on the couch. Minho gave up and leaned back, shutting his eyes.

“Tell us what happened in 1820,” Hyunjin said, as straightforward as possible. “That seems to be the only piece of the puzzle that we’re missing.”

Minho opened his eyes slowly and stared at Hyunjin, a crooked smile coming across his face. “You really want to know, but are you sure you can handle it?”

“He’s right,” Jeongin spoke up from next to the boy. “Sure, you’re curious, but I don’t know if you want to know what happened. It made me really scared even with only a part of the story. Since the both of you don’t really know the inner workings of this town, it might be harder to understand, and you’ll be even more scared than I was,” He looked up towards Hyunjin who was leaning back comfortably in his chair. “Especially you.”

“See,” Changbin started, “now we want to know even more! It’s unfair that you get to know everything that’s going on here and leave the both of us out of it. We want to know too, even if it is scary. It's going to be worse if we know that something bad is going on, and still have to live through every day ignoring it.”

Hyunjin nodded next to him, forcing his hands to sit still on top of his crossed legs.

“Fine, you really want to know?” Minho asked from the couch.

“Yes, I really do want to know, Minho.” Hyunjin stared back at him.

The older reached out his arm from the couch, “Alright, let’s make a deal then. I’ll tell you everything that happened, but you have to go back to the manor with me in the morning. Jeongin, you’ll come too.”

“If Jeongin’s going, then I am too!” Changbin interrupted.

“Of course, Changbin, you’ll go too.” Minho rolled his eyes and focused back on Hyunjin. “I tell you what happened in 1820, we go to the manor tomorrow morning, and we figure out how to fix it, is that a deal?”

“Fix it?” Jeongin murmured from the side.

“You have a deal,” Hyunjin shook his hand, and Changbin shook his hand right after. “Tell me what happened in 1820.”

“Okay, but you made a deal that you can’t break. You promised.” Minho emphasized the word promise, glaring at both Hyunjin and Changbin. 

“Three boys were brutally murdered in that mansion on a winter night in 1820, the anniversary is coming up soon. The murderer was never caught and the manors’ been haunted ever since. People say he might still be in this town.”

“Ok, first of all, that’s fucking terrifying,” Changbin coughs out nervously, “but I feel like you’re not telling us something.”

“That’s exactly what he told me!” Jeongin defended the boy next to him. “I swear!”

“I’m definitely going to need some time to process that but Changbin’s right,” Hyunjin spoke up. “There are some more questions that you need to answer.”

“Hit me with it.” Minho huffed.

“What’s the whole thing with the suit? You were talking about it with Jeongin this morning.” Changbin nodded next to him.

“Well, you see,” Minho looked up towards the ceiling, closing his eyes. “I used to be good friends with those boys. We used to all hang out together, go to school together… That suit belonged to one of them. When they died most of their belongings were distributed to members of their family and close friends. They insisted that I kept their clothes just in case.”

“Just in case what…?”

“Just in case we bring them back.”

Hyunjin opened his eyes wide and stood up, Changbin and Jeongin standing up alongside him.

“What!?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jeongin: changbins trust -100  
> hyunjin: changbins trust +100
> 
> writing the changbin and jeongin fight took an emotional toll on my heart 😭😭
> 
> up next: into the woods!! ft. a tw// injury (its not too bad i promise :(( )


	5. the beginning of the end

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tw// minor injuries and indirect mentions of blood or said injuries

“Hey Minho, are you sure we have to go back to the manor so soon? I have some shopping left to do here, and you passed out for a while yesterday…

Hyunjin paced the entrance of the small hotel, waiting for the brothers to finish last-minute errands before their departure to the manor. The weather seemed unusually warm, and the snow began to melt, making the streets glisten in the morning sunlight.

“My head is fine, it’s just an annoying bruise at the moment.”

Hyunjin sighed loudly and looked out the window for the fourth time since he came downstairs. The wagon they “borrowed” from Yerim was full of the fruits he had bought, along with other miscellaneous food items Changbin and Jeongin decided he needed. 

Hyunjin had spent the whole night awake after last night’s conversation. Minho refused to explain what he meant, and even Jeongin was confused. Changbin turned in the earliest, and Hyunjin soon after him. Jeongin and Minho stayed up the longest from what Hyunjin had heard, both boys coming up the stairs late in the night.

The boy rubbed at his eyes and yawned, watching the brothers stumble down the long staircase, Changbins' usually cold and intimidating demeanor reduced to something worried and hesitant.

“Is it a long way up?” Changbin asked Hyunjin, shoving his hands into his coat pockets.

“To the manor? It wasn’t too long of a walk, we’ll probably get there around noon.”

The older nodded his head and stood off to the side, taking the handle of the wagon and following the group as they exited the hotel and started their long hike to the manor.

“It’s good weather for a walk, isn’t it?” Minho asked, closing his eyes and looking up to the sky. “We should be able to reach the manor without too many problems if the weather stays like this.”

“The snow might melt into ice, though,” Jeongin argued. “It was icy to the side of the hotel where there’s a shadow, it might be more slippery in the forest.”

“Make sure you don’t fall, Minho.” Hyunjin nudged the older jokingly.

“Very funny, Hyunjin! Hilarious. I could’ve died!” 

“But you didn’t!”

Minho huffed in annoyance.

“You fell?” Jeongin skipped closer to the two, “Is that why you were feeling so sick yesterday?”

“This giant slipped on some ice on our way down and fell on top of me, so I hit my head on the ice,” He explained, nodding his head towards the “giant” in question.

“How does it feel being saved by the town bachelor, Hyunjin?” Jeongin joked, lightly hitting Minho’s exposed chest. (He had refused to wear a blouse under his suit that morning.)

Hyunjin laughed, “Town bachelor? Isn’t this guy like 50 years old?”

“What do you mean 60? I’m only 2 years older than you!” The shorter yelled back.

“He isn’t wrong, Minho,” Jeongin joined in, “Technically speaking you are, like, 50 years old.”

“What the hell do you mean he’s 50?”

Changbin’s voice chimed in from behind the trio, filled with both curiosity and awe.

“I think I figured it out, Changbin!” Hyunjin began, “Nobody here ages, do they? Yerim mentioned it once, I think, and Jeongin’s backing it up now. Minho said yesterday that he used to be friends with those kids from 1820, too. He’s at _least_ 30.”

“God, that’s so weird,” Changbin huffed, “But if everybody here never ages, why am I still getting older?”

“It doesn’t affect everybody in the town, just a few people, including me and Yerim,” Minho explained. “Why are you taking this information so well, though? Most people would be freaked out.”

“Nothing can be worse than finding out that we’ve been living around vampires this whole time,” Hyunjin shivered.

“Not only that, but your house is haunted, Hyunjin.” The youngest added.

“Don’t mention that.” 

Changbin and the others laughed lightly, and the group began to quiet down for the first time since they left the hotel. Hyunjin took the time to look at all the stalls around them, specifically focusing on the people, looking at them closely, and trying to notice anything out of the ordinary. He would squint at some people passing by, but they were all looking at Minho in the middle of their little group.

“Minho, why does everyone look at you strangely?” He finally asked.

“That’s a pretty rude way to put it, Hyunjin, have you considered that maybe they’re appreciating my beauty?” The older pretended to sweep long hair behind his shoulder, waving his hand through the air.

Hyunjin scoffed, “I’m pretty sure that ‘appreciating beauty’ doesn’t come along with glares and questioning looks.”

“Eh, I’ve just learned to ignore it,” He laughed in response. “Nobody explained exactly what problem they have with me, so I’ve given up on trying to figure out.”

“That’s really mean of them…”Jeongin murmured from the side. “How can they not tell you?” 

“The people in this village can be pretty secretive sometimes,” Minho explained.

“Yeah, thanks for letting us experience that first-hand.” Hyunjin joked, turning around to tag along with Changbin.

“Ha ha, you’re in a very joking mood today, aren’t you? Are you perhaps trying to distract yourself from something, Hyunjin?” The brown-haired man asked mockingly.

“You’re trying to make me have a bad time on purpose, aren’t you?” The taller frowned in response.

“Don’t worry too much about the manor,” Changbin reassured him, “It probably isn’t as bad as he says.”

“Have you ever been to the manor?”

“No, I’ve never even gone up that hill. This is my first time.”

“One of the ghosts tried to set me on fire on my first day in the manor.”

“Hey, now that must be an exaggeration-!”

“I was holding a rag to clean some candle holders and it suddenly caught fire! That _definitely_ counts as a murder attempt.” He waved his hands around in exaggeration, acting out the situation.

“...Were the candles lit?”

“Yes, but-”

“Then it was your fault! Why would you clean candle holders if the candles are still lit? That’s a major fire hazard!”

“That’s what I thought too, but the rag didn’t even touch the candle and then the whole hallway was filled with flickering candles! It was scary, Changbin!”

“Augh, stop ruining my attempts to come to terms with the situation!”

“Sorry!”

The duo laughed at their banter, eyes looking everywhere but at each other. 

“We’re about to go into the forest, Bin. Have you ever been in there?”

“I’ve been in the forest over by Olivia’s shop, but not the one over here…” The older responded, looking even more nervous than he was before.

“Mhm,” Hyunjin hummed, “Speaking of Olivia, what are your thoughts on the vampires?”

“The hell is this, an interview?” Changbin sputtered, “Ask some more lighthearted questions, why don’t you.”

Hyunjin smiled and patted Changbins back in comfort, hoping to help the older relax a little bit. Jeongin and the older had already gone further ahead, more free to move around without the weight of the packed wagon. Minho held his hand comfortably on Jeongins back, pulling him forward and pointing to different trees along the path, explaining their scientific names and what medicinal qualities they have-if they had any. Jeongin listened closely to the mentor, nodding along to what he was saying and asking questions that Hyunjin was too bored to listen to.

Changbin pulled the wagon up the hill with ease, his face relaxed even though the wagon was probably twice his weight. Hyunjin looked at him curiously. He had the “pleasure” of moving the wagon from the front entrance to the porch outside of the hotel that morning, and it was in no way an easy feat. Hauling Minho in that wagon had been easier, but now that there were more pastries and snacks in the wagon, paired with fatigue from the day before, it felt impossibly heavy.

Yet, here was the older, pulling the wagon Hyunjin had struggled to get out the door with a calm expression. While Hyunjin had used two hands and all of his strength, Changbin accomplished it with one arm and a smile. 

“What are you looking at?”

Hyunjin looked up at the shop owner with innocent curiosity.

“I knew your arms were big but this is some kind of supernatural strength, are you sure you aren’t a vampire too?”

“Oh, this?” Changbin chuckled nervously and looked down at the wagon he had been pulling along. “I work out sometimes, I guess. Most of it has to do with the amount of manual labor at the bakery though, Jeongin and the others always make _me_ lift the heavy stuff.” 

Hyunjin nodded in understanding and pulled back further to walk next to the back of the wagon.

“I’ll stand here just in case anything starts to fall. The hill only gets steeper from here and this thing is overflowing…”

He focuses on a bag of fruit dangling dangerously over the edge of the wagon, only held in place by another loosely placed jar holding down a piece of the bag.

“Good idea, Hyunjin. I’m trying to be careful but this hill isn’t exactly smooth.”

Hyunjin decided against trying to fix the bag of fruit and walked behind the wagon slowly.

  
  
  
  
  


The walk up the mountain was going smoothly, Jeongin and Minho discussing _something_ at the front of the group, Changbin pulling the wagon with his usual poker face, and Hyunjin walking behind the wagon, already having lost his sense of focus and moving on to looking around at the clumps of tall spruce trees surrounding them. 

Of course, it was going smoothly until Hyunjin felt something cold and wet hit the tip of his nose.

“Hey guys, I think it’s starting to snow?” He announced from the back, loud enough for the boys in front to hear.

“Are you sure?” Minho called back, turning around to look up at the sky.

“Yeah, something just hit my nose,” Jeongin said, “It’s too warm for it to snow today… We should start walking a bit faster.”

“If it starts to rain I’m turning around and going back home.” Changbin frowned, yanking the wagon up and shifting the jars and bags scattered in the wagon.

“Let’s hurry up while it’s still falling lightly, we are _not_ getting caught in a storm on this hill.” Hyunjin sped up his pace, forcing Changbin to walk quicker in front of him as well.

  
  
  
  
  


The rain, unfortunately, did not die down. 

The group was nearly running up the hill, Changbin finally growing tired from the weight of the wagon. Minho and Jeongin both ran with their shorter jackets thrown over their heads, and Hyunjin ran alongside Changbin, his long overcoat wide enough to cover the both of them.

“I can’t see anything!” The youngest yelled weakly from the front, “There’s too much downpour, I can’t see the trail!”

“Just watch where you step!” Minho called back, the sound coming from slightly in front of Jeongin. “If I step on something strange I’ll let you guys know!”

“How much further until the manor?” Changbin yelled from beside Hyunjin. 

“We don’t have much farther to go, just hold out as much as you can,” Minho yelled back to him, his voice growing fainter as he ran further in front of the group.

Hyunjin could barely hear anything over the sound of the rain hitting the overcoat, his arm tired from hovering over the older’s shoulder. The water began to soak through the fabric of the coat, dripping onto the boys. Hyunjin felt his eye twitch in annoyance as the rain hit the same spot on his head every few seconds.

“Guys watch out! There’s a…” Hyunjin wasn’t able to hear the last half of the sentence.

“There’s a what?”

“A patch of ice!” Jeongin yelled as he ran closer to the duo, but it was too late.

Changbins foot hit the patch first, causing him to fall forward, catching himself on his free arm before his face hit the ground. The wagon yanked back at the sudden change in pace, and the handle, already slippery from the cold rain, began to slip out of his hand.

Hyunjin, who had fallen just after him, wasn’t as lucky, his arm hitching on a branch and tearing through the fabric of his light blouse. It left a searing pain on his arm, and he clenched his teeth. 

Jeongin managed to slip on the same patch of ice but fell on his back in the direction of the wagon. In a moment of adrenaline, the younger kicked his leg in front of the wagon wheels and grabbed onto the side, the wagon hitting his leg harshly and stopping in the mud. When he had a good enough grip on the wagon, he dragged his leg out from underneath it.

“I caught it!” He yelled in triumph, digging his heels into the mud to stop himself from sliding further down. Changbin got up to help the younger, who’s long, skinny fingers were already slipping off of the sides.

“Yes, Jeongin you got it!” Changbin cheered, grabbing the handle again and wiping off some of the rain with his coat. “Is your leg okay?”

Jeongin stood up and brushed himself off, “It might bruise a little but I promise I’m fine!” He yelled softly over the sound of the rain, but his proud smile dropped when he turned to Hyunjin, still laying on the ground, holding on desperately to his arm.

“You ok there, Hyunjin?” Minho asked as he walked carefully back down the hill. 

The older only groaned and held his arm tighter, finally sitting up to reveal a mud-covered sleeve stained with red.

“Ooh, is this a bad time to say karma?” Minho laughed nervously.

“Yes! Yes it is!” Hyunjin growled back, standing up slowly. He let go of his wounded arm and picked up his long jacket, throwing it over his shoulder and going back to holding his arm. “The manor should have some first-aid materials inside, I’ll just fix myself up when we get there.”

Minho nodded, hesitantly turning back around to continue scouting the trail.

Jeongin walked alongside Hyunjin, asking him if he was okay. Hyunjin only asked him the question back, noticing how the younger was now limping on one leg.

“It’s just a bruise, I’ll be fine by tomorrow!” The younger smiled at him and insisted on getting a look at his arm, noticing the bruise that had already begun to form. Changbin walked alongside him as well but didn’t say anything, only looking on with a crease between his brows. He was back to pulling the wagon, the adrenaline from the fall giving him temporary strength.

The group who fell had given up on trying to stay dry and decided to put their soaked coats over their shoulders, Minho walked on, carrying his jacket over his head like an umbrella.

“Isn’t he cold?” Hyunjin laughed, remembering what the older boy had looked like when he came to check on him, finally coming into view past the heavy rain. The older didn’t have a regular blouse under his shirt, so after taking off his suit jacket, he was left with a camisole that only managed to cover his lower chest and back. Rain was falling off of the older’s arms, and Hyunjin shivered just imagining how cold he must be.

“I don’t think he gets cold, ever.” Jeongin shivered back. “In the winter, he always walks around with just the camisole and jacket. I don’t think he even comes outside during the summer.”

Hyunjin hummed in reply, loud enough for the younger one to hear past the deafening rain. His arm hurt less than before, only when he didn’t touch it. The sleeve, on the other hand? It was beyond repair. The red had already soaked through the fabric, leaving half of the buoyant white sleeve stained red. His jacket, luckily, hadn’t touched it and was safe from unwanted stains.

Rain traveled down the trail in neat lines, making small rivers on either side of the group. Hyunjin and Jeongin looked towards Changbin worriedly, forced to watch the older pull the heavy wagon up the hill, the wheels now getting stuck in the mud. Jeongin had offered to carry some items from the wagon and was now carrying two jars of jam, but his brother refused to let him carry more, afraid it might put too much pressure on his leg. Having Hyunjin carry items was out of the question, the boy's left arm being unusable, and his right arm also bruised from the fall.

“The manor is right up ahead!” Minho cheered.

It was easier to hear the older now that the rain had slowed down slightly. It was still coming down hard, but the visibility was better and Hyunjin no longer flinched whenever a particularly heavy drop of water hit the top of his head.

“The weather was so nice this morning and now it’s hell on earth. I don’t think we should be here.” Changbin grumbled, dragging the wagon up the last stretch of the hill. 

“Don’t worry Changbin, we’ll be fine,” his brother reassured him, “If anything does happen, it’s 4 against 3!”

The older laughed nervously, his voice trailing off. 

“You mean, we’ll have to fight them?” Hyunjin mumbled.

“No, well, maybe. I don’t know what these ghosts are like. We _might_ have to fight them.”

The two older boys only looked towards the younger with a tired look in their eyes.

“Oh, come on! We’re all going to be fine! We made it up the mountain in this storm, so we’ll be able to survive anything now. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!”

“Yeah, over time!” Hyunjin argued, waving his injured arm in front of Jeongins face. “If you ask me, we’re weaker now than when we started climbing up this mountain…” His face looked down towards Jeongin’s leg, still held up in the air as he limped lightly along the path, and then to Changbin, who looked like he was about to pass out from exhaustion.

The manor came into view over the top of the hill, the tall towers of the east and west wing casting long shadows on either side of the clearing. The manor looked the same as Hyunjin had left it.

“Wow, this is…” Changbin trailed off.

Jeongin stepped next to the boy, finishing his sentence. “Huge.” 

“It’s bigger than my manor, I’ll give you that,” Minho walked slowly to the group of boys that had just come up over the hill. “ You even have the garden tower in the back.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to think it’s too big for just one person to live in.” Hyunjin sighed, looking up towards the manor he refuses to call his home.

“Well, I don’t think you’ll need to be worried about being the only one living there.” Minho quipped, receiving quick punches from the taller in response.

“Shut up! I don’t need you reminding me about the ghosts every few seconds!” 

Changbin had gone pale, and passed the handle of the wagon along to his younger brother. They were finally on level ground, and he didn’t need to worry about it sliding down.

“Are you sure we can’t just turn back around? We came here, just as you promised, now can we go back?” He whined, slouching over and looking back at the trail.

“Nope, we have to see what the deal is with the ghosts. For Hyunjin’s sake, I want to know exactly what they are so that we can find a way to bring them back.” Minho answered.

“Doesn’t that mean bringing them out? That sounds pretty dangerous, Minho…” The youngest of the group whined.

“It’ll be dangerous if we don’t have a plan, yes. Hyunjin, you said they didn’t disturb you while you were in the garden’s north tower, right?”

“That’s right,” the older answered. “I spent almost a week up there and nothing really happened. The only problem is the manor itself.”

“So we’ll stay in the north tower while we’re here! That should keep you all safe while I go inside to check things out.”

“Wait, Minho, you’re going in there?” Changbin straightened up and looked at the older in worry.

“They were my friends, and I want to know what happened to them without putting any of you in danger,” Minho sighed, “I have my own experiences with the supernatural, you boys don’t have to worry about what happens to me.”

“Huh? The supernatural? You mean like, vampires?” Jeongin perked up in interest, leaning in closer.

“Vampires, fairies, witches, you know, the supernatural. We have a lot of them in town.” 

Jeongin hummed back in understanding, while Changbin and Hyunjin looked on in confusion.

“So, now we’re adding fairies and witches into the town’s population too?” Changbin groaned.

“Ugh, I’ll explain later. You guys are denser than I thought. Jeongin knows about this, right Jeongin?” 

The younger in question nodded silently, turning towards the boys next to him.

“Let’s get to the tower quickly, you guys are probably freezing.” Minho began walking towards the manor.

“And you aren’t?” Hyunjin walked right behind him, close enough to notice the way the older didn’t even have goosebumps on his arms, and his arms weren’t purple from the cold the way Jeongin’s were.

“I said I’ll explain when we get inside! Let’s head straight towards the north tower.”

The younger sighed, walking alongside Minho as the brothers followed. “If we want to bring the wagon we have to go through the manor, but I can’t let you guys just go in there,” Hyunjin explained, “The place is surrounded by a fence that should be simple enough to get over by just climbing.”

“Then how should we get the wagon there?” Minho asked.

“It’s my manor, I could just pull it through quickly before anything happens and meet you guys in the north tower.”

“Are you sure, Jinnie?” Hyunjin’s ears turned red at the nickname. “You were barely able to move the wagon back at the hotel, and now your arms are all messed up. I can come with you.”

“I’m sure, Minho. You guys can help me get it up the steps and I can take it from there. It’s just my left arm that’s hurt, anyway.”

Minho sighed and turned towards the brothers behind them, explaining the plan in detail.

“What?” Changbin shouted, “You want to go in there on your own?” 

Hyunjin nodded, “When I was the new tenant and the ghosts were never really _violent_ towards me... It’ll be safer than letting someone completely new walk through anyway.”

“But what about that thing you said about the candles earlier?” He argued back.

Hyunjin held his calm demeanor, trying to look as cool as possible even though his hands were shaking. “That’s why I want to go on my own. I was attacked on my first day, which is why I think they just don’t like new people. They must have gotten used to me after I shut myself into the north tower, though, because they left me alone whenever I came back into the manor. They might’ve even opened the door for me a few times.”

Changbin gave the younger an incredulous look, then faced his brother. 

“Can you believe this guy?” He scoffed.

“Well, if Hyunjin thinks he could do it then we should at least let him try…?” The younger hesitated, but looked towards the tall boy with bright eyes.

“Thank you, Innie!” The older smiled, and the younger looked back to him happily. “See, he thinks I can do it, why can’t you guys trust me too?”

Changbin and Minho looked at each other, having a silent conversation with their eyes. Finally, Minho nodded. “Fine. I’ll let you go into the manor on your own on the condition that you only head in once we’ve gotten over the fence. It’ll be safer that way, since we can come in and pull you out of the manor if anything happens.”

“Sounds good to me, but nothing is going to happen. Just help me get this wagon up the steps, and I’ll be out before you know it.”

Minho sighed and took the handle of the wagon from Jeongin, walking it closer to the stairs. “Alright, who’s going to help me pick this up?”

“I’ll help!” Jeongin skipped to the wagon, putting his hands on the back wall of the wagon, while Minho held the left side.

“You guys seriously think you can carry this without me?” Changbin smirked, joining the boys around the wagon and grabbing the two remaining sides of the wagon.

“I’ll just… stand here!” Hyunjin laughed from beside the group as they heaved the wagon up over the steps, the wooden porch creaking as it was set back on the ground.

“Do you need help pushing it through the door?” Changbin asked him, “I think there’s a bit of a step up, I could just push it in for you.” The older eyed Hyunjins arm nervously, but Hyunjin shook his head.

“I’ll be able to pull it in with just my good arm. It might take a bit but I can do it! You just make sure everybody gets over the fence in the back.”

Changbin nodded, still looking at Hyunjin’s arm. “If you’re sure. I’ll meet you out back, good luck Hyunjin!”

Minho followed him to the side of the house, Jeongin following close behind.

“Good luck Hyunjin!” The youngest yelled, a bright smile on his face, before he turned the corner around the house. 

Hyunjin eyed the door to the manor, his foot tapping against the wooden porch. He raised his hand to the doorknob. Nothing strange so far. He heard some shuffling from around the edge of the house. The boys were finally climbing over the fence, they must have found the short part of the fence.

He heard the third thump of shoes against the ground, followed by a yell.

“I’m okay!” Jeongin yelled from the back of the manor. There was some scuffling and murmuring, _probably scolding from his older brother_ , Hyunjin thought, _he must have fallen onto his hurt leg…_

“Alright, Hyunjin, we’re all good!” Changbin yelled from the back of the manor.

“I-I’ll be right there!” The younger's teeth chattered from the cold, and he slowly opened the door to the manor, taking in a deep breath.

The manor was empty, and eerily silent. He tugged the wagon into the house with his uninjured arm, using up all of his strength to get it over the small step by the door. It must have been only a centimeter, but in Hyunjin’s state, it felt like a whole staircase. 

He managed to heave the wagon into the house, the muddy wheels rolling loudly across the wooden floors of the manor, echoing against the high ceilings and hollow thin walls. Hyunjin looked around the manor uneasily, walking faster and pulling the wagon towards the back door.

In his unwavering focus on the manor and the sounds around him, he failed to notice the wagon reaching a bit too close to a particular chair on the way.

_THUNK_

The wagon wheel was caught against a chair leg, creating a deafening echo in the previously silent manor. Hyunjin’s heart began to beat faster as he heard floorboards creaking above him, and in his effort to pull the wagon out from the chair, the bags of fruit that were already dangling had fallen off completely.

“Damnit,” he cursed, trying to reach his second arm towards the wagon to pull it along faster. Just extending his arm put him in immense pain, so Hyunjin curled his fist around his coat, still swung over his shoulders, and continued to pull the wagon towards the door, ignoring the searing pain and his quickening heartbeat. “Just a little bit more.”

The door in question was right in front of him, Changbin already standing at the entrance, holding it open for the younger.

“Hyunjin, get over here!” He whispered, looking around the inside of the manor. 

Hyunjin quickened his pace and nearly lunged out the door, Changbin taking the wagon handle from him and running towards the north tower. “Come on!” The older yelled, but the younger hesitated.

“Some bags fell out of the wagon while I was inside, I have to go get them!”

Changbin narrowed his eyes and stopped running, already halfway to the tower, where Jeongin and Minho stood.

“Hyunjin!” Jeongin called out, motioning him to come back to the tower and join them, but Hyunjin looked back towards the manor.

“It’s just a few bags of fruit, Hyunjin, get back here!” Minho yelled after him.

“You paid for them, Minho! I can’t just let them rot!” Hyunjin yelled back.

“It doesn’t matter whether I paid for them or not, are you crazy? Get over here!”

“I’ll only be a second!”

“Hyunjin!” 

Hyunjin heard the boys calling after him, but he was already back inside, looking for the bags of fruit on the floor. “Where are they…?” He questioned aloud, trying to drown out his heartbeat with his voice. 

He walked further into the manor, watching the flickering candles dance across the walls. _Were those lit before…?_ The several bags of fruit, jams, and pastries were found scattered across the floor, and he shifted his focus onto them. _They gave this all to me, I can’t let it all go to waste…_ He picked up a few bags of fruit in the one arm that was able to carry them, but when he turned around, the door was shut.

“Changbin?” Hyunjin whispered, “Hey, open the door, this isn’t funny…”

He walked closer to the door with the fruit bags in hand, desperately trying to open the door with his other hand.

 _Ah, it must be stuck!_

He dropped the fruit bags on the ground and used his other arm to open the door, but the handle wouldn’t budge.

Hyunjin’s face grew pale and he turned on his heels, eyes focused on the ground. There was another door down the hall in one of the storage rooms, maybe…

The door slammed shut as he drew closer, refusing to open even when Hyunjin used both arms to pry it open.

“Changbin, Jeongin!” He yelled out in frustration. “What’s going on?” 

A cold wind blew from the ground up, and Hyunjin decided that he had to go upstairs. Up to the bedroom where he first stayed. At least he would be able to see if the boys were safe.

He scurried up the stairs, the wooden steps heaving under his weight. His wound had opened back up, and a trail followed him as he ran to the master bedroom. The door to the bedroom was open, just as he had left it, and the window was still left unopened. There were still clothes strewn across the room. He remembered feverishly digging out unneeded clothes with the plan to lock himself in the tower.

Tears were forming in his eyes as he looked out the window of his room, his friends all leaning out of the window of the tower. Minho was standing at the entrance down below. Changbin was the first to notice him in the bedroom window, his arms waving frantically when a look of dread spread across his face. Jeongin was still looking down at Minho when Changbin grabbed his shoulder and pointed up towards Hyunjin, a similar look of fear coming across his face as well.

They seemed to be shouting something, but Hyunjin struggled to open the large window. His left arm was laying limp at his side. When he finally managed to break the window open, he heard the two boys yelling back at him, but they yelled over each other and Hyunjin couldn’t make out a single word they were saying. 

“Guys, one at a time! I can’t hear anything!” He choked out, leaning as far out of the window as he could without falling. There was suddenly a cold breath over his shoulder, and the boys fell silent, Jeongin hiding behind his brother, and Minho, who had climbed to the top of the garden tower, looking at him with a hand over his mouth. Well, maybe he wasn’t looking directly at him.

Changbin finally took a deep breath, blinking and shaking his head vigorously. “Holy fucking shit Hyunjin there’s someone behind you!” 

Hyunjin didn’t want to turn around, instead deciding to slowly back out of the window and held his arm out to the side.

“Why didn’t you stay?” A soothing voice whispered from behind him, pushing Hyunjin to turn around and look around the room.

“Leave me alone!” He screamed back, his tears flowing freely, “Let me out of here!” The boy ran out of the room and back down the first floor, clutching his arm tightly. He checked every door, every window, every exit possible. Whenever he reached a door, it would shut in front of him, and windows were shuttered, curtains closed by an unseen entity.

There was one window left. The window in his master bedroom. It was the only place he could see the boys, and it seemed that the ghosts trusted that he wouldn’t use it to jump out. Hyunjin knew he couldn’t, not with the rock garden placed under his window. 

“Don’t leave us, Hyunjin. It’s lonely in here.”

Another voice, this one deep enough to make goosebump crawl up the younger's back.

He hadn’t given up trying to find a way out, walking back up towards the window of his master bedroom, the last window of the house that remained opened and uncovered. Hyunjin leaned out the window one more time, blinking as the cold wind hit his teary eyes.

“Are you okay?” Changbin yelled from the tower. The older’s arms were shaking as he held himself on the windowsill of the tower. _He must be exhausted from pulling the wagon so much…_

“I’m fine, Changbin!” 

At the sound of his voice, Jeongin and Minho quickly joined Changbin at the windowsill.

“All of the doors and windows are locked,” Hyunjin began to explain. “I’ll try to find a different way out, just give me some time!”

Minho looked at him worriedly, “Are you sure you don’t want us to come and get you?”

Hyunjin shook his head frantically. “Don’t come up here! They’ll just get mad at you instead. They want me to stay here, I heard them say it.”

Jeongin opened his mouth in shock. “You _heard_ them say it?”

Minho looked towards the youngest, then back towards Hyunjin in the tower.

“Hyunjin, what did their voices sound like?” He yelled.

“What do you mean ‘what did their voices sound like,’ ghosts are keeping me hostage in my own manor and that’s all you have to say?” Hyunjin’s voice was frantic, and he coughed between words.

“Hyunjin, just tell me!”

“The first one had an, umm, a good voice? I think? It was pretty soft for a ghost voice.”

“And the others?” Minho pressed on.

“There was only one other voice, it was super low. It was terrifying and I don’t want to hear it behind me ever again!”

Minho frowned from the tower.

“Are you sure you didn’t hear a third voice?” Hyunjin glared at him, confused and eyes stinging with tears, but the older continued. “It’s probably better you didn’t hear more ghosts anyway, nevermind!”

Hyunjin yelled back as Minho began to turn away, “You mean there’s a third one that I should watch out for?”

“Don’t worry, Hyunjin. You shouldn’t have anything to worry about!”

“Nothing to worry about my _ass_! These are ghosts we’re talking about, they aren’t the same people you used to be friends with!”

“Just hang tight, Hyunjin! They won’t hurt you if they want you to stay!”

The older was already gone, Jeongin and Changbin leaving the window to berate the older and torture him with questions.

“Min-!” Hyunjin tried to call out, but just as he said the name his window closed by force, sending him flying back into the room. He landed hard on his back.

“It’s getting late,” A soft voice said, “You should stay inside. Take a break.”

Hyunjin turned to find the owner of the voice that sent a cold breath over his shoulder, but there was nobody in the room. All he could do was nod and stare at the door in silence, running his hand through his hair and picking at his yellow opal earrings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have a million different ideas for how the next chapter can be written but i cant. choose. and its killing me slowly. the next chapter should be up within the next month but if it isn't i probably rewrote the whole thing :((
> 
> up next: hyunjin gets a haircut!!! :)


	6. the shadow of the past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> make sure to check out this carrd before reading: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/  
> if you've already been signing petitions and donating - im proud of you!! keep it going, it's not over just yet  
> I've been putting off posting this chapter in order to focus more on these important things, but it seems okay to post now.  
> black lives matter, take care of yourselves, and keep fighting!! love u all

Hyunjin’s wound had begun to heal after the second day.

He managed to find a first aid kit in the kitchen of the first floor, and he opened the window of his master bedroom back up, Jeongin directing him from the window of the garden tower. At least they had this method of communication, even though their throats were sore after only a few minutes of shouting across the yard.

“Hyunjin!” Jeongin called out from the window bright and early one morning.

“Hey, Jeongin!” The older called back, “How’s it going?”

The younger smiled hesitantly and tilted his head to the side. “Well, you see, Minho decided that it would be best if he went back into town to get some help from an old friend, and he’ll be leaving tomorrow. My leg still hurts a lot, so Changbin and I will stay here with you!”

Hyunjin nodded along from the window, picking at the piece of cloth covering his forearm.

“So,” the younger continued, “Changbin is sulking around because he can’t leave with him. Well, I think he’s staying just to make sure nothing happens to _you_ , but he won’t admit it himself,” Jeongin ran a hand through his hair, fingers tapping on the windowsill. “Have you been staying out of trouble lately?”

Hyunjin nodded in response. “It’s been pretty quiet since we got here. I have to deal with the occasional shut window or cold wind but it’s been nothing too dangerous.”

“I’m glad you’re still safe. Do you still have food left?”

“Yes, I do. There are a few bags of fruit left, they should be able to last me another week or so.”

“Good to know! Give us a yell if you need anything. Changbin and I found an oven built into the tower, so the three of us are trying to clean it out. We might be able to use it someday!”

“That’s right! The bakery! Is there someone to take over for a while?”

“My brother let Haseul take the business over for a week, she said she was happy to manage the place for a bit!”

Hyunjin sighed in relief. “Good, good…” Hyunjin looked on over the garden, noticing a cloud of dust rising from behind the tower. _That must be the thing Jeongin was talking about._

Jeongin slapped his hands down on the windowsill. “Alright! I’m glad we’ve had our morning check-in, sorry if I wasn’t as talkative as Minho… But I have to go help them with cleaning that thing out.”

Hyunjin chuckled to himself from the window. “Don’t worry about that, go help! I’ll see you again at sunset.”

Jeongin nodded one last time and turned away from the window, emerging at the base of the tower and limping back to join his older brother and Minho.

“Ah, time to get my hair fixed up…” He muttered aloud. The manor was empty and boring, but Hyunjin was strict on keeping up his appearance.

  
  
  
  


The manor felt more hollow than usual, even with the increasing presence of the ghosts. The longer he stayed, the less scared he felt, especially now that he wasn’t able to escape. Hyunjin learned to love the groaning of the floorboards and the flickers of the candles on the wall. It let him know he wasn’t alone, even if his housemates weren’t ideal. There were also a few minor changes in the manor, like the location of a vase, or dining room chairs that weren’t pushed in. Hyunjin had learned that the ghosts can manipulate objects around the house, such as picking things up and moving them around. (What he said to Jeongin earlier might not have been the entire truth, there were definitely ghosts bothering him daily.)

Sleep had taken him early on the day they arrived, but the day after, he had woken up in his bed, his arm placed carefully on top of a pillow. He was confused, but living in the manor had taught him to ignore the supernatural and assume what was realistic. Hyunjin’s guess was sleepwalking, and that had kept him content until the afternoon. Around lunchtime, Hyunjin was surprised to see a small bowl of fruit sitting on top of his bedroom nightstand. He hadn’t made it himself, and he had no memory of taking fruit from the bag, let alone going down to the kitchen. 

By evening, the ghosts had made themselves more comfortable, grabbing items from in front of the boy’s face as they please. Hyunjin only ignored the taunts, and the ghosts eventually put the items back down. 

Hyunjin was nearly able to identify which one of the two ghosts was near him. 

A cold breath at the shoulder meant that something good would happen. He had realized this when he felt cold air over his shoulder every time a door would open for him. The same breath appeared while Hyunjin was talking to the boys in the tower, and he would turn around to find a gift left for him, like a plate of fruit or a glass of water.

The second ghost was much harder to identify, and Hyunjin desperately tried to figure out how to identify him from the few unfortunate encounters they had. This second ghost was the most bothersome. He ruffled bed sheets right after Hyunjin had finished making the bed, he opened bags of fruit and scattered them across the first floor of the manor, he even went as far as to plant small traps around the manor, like a piece of string between a doorway or a pail of water for the boy to trip on as he rounded a corner. It was nothing too dangerous, and most of the pranks were annoying at the most.

Now, Hyunjin sat in front of the vanity in the room opposite his own, deep in thought. The bedroom had a large window that let in more sun in the morning, and the door had only become unlocked the evening before. 

His reflection in the mirror was different from when he arrived. His dark circles were now easier to see with the help of the bright sunlight. Hyunjin ran a finger over the bottom of his eyes, huffing with disapproval and taking a hairbrush that was left underneath the vanity. His hair had grown out significantly since he arrived at the small mountain town, the hair now curling around the base of his neck and swaying in front of his eyes. 

The boy sighed loudly and began to brush out his hair, flinching whenever the brush got caught in a particularly nasty knot. There was only so much he could brush out with his hands.

A cold breath suddenly caught his attention, and his hand hesitated, then relaxed. His eyes were kept closed as he brushed through his hair. There was a loud scrape of metal against the wooden vanity, and his hand froze still.

Hyunjin opened one of his eyes slightly to notice a pair of scissors sitting on top of the vanity. In curiosity, he looked down at the mirror, where a pair of blank white eyes were staring up at him.

His hand tightened its grip on the hairbrush. He refused to open his eyes any further, making out as many details as he could from his blurry vision. The boy had light brown hair, even lighter than Minho’s, and he wore the same dark navy blue suit he had worn just a few days ago. The boy rested his chin on the edge of the desk, only looking up at the human with an unreadable expression.

Hyunjin opened both eyes wide, and the light-haired boys’ relaxed and comfortable expression fell, his posture straightening out and revealing the puffy sleeves that Hyunjin had to endure.

Eyes locking with Hyunjin’s, the boy looked up into the mirror.

“Can you…” He spoke softly, eyes wide. “Can you see me?”

“What the _fuck…”_

“So you can! You can see me!” The ghost backed up away from the mirror, far enough Hyunjin to see the ghosts’ lack of arms. Where he was supposed to have solid arms, there was only limp fabric and thick smoke that covered the sleeve.

“What... what are you?” Hyunjin stood up frantically, grabbing the back of the chair and setting it in front of him. He swung his arm to the side, knocking down a lamp. It shattered on the ground, pieces spilling in front of him. “What the hell _are you_?” 

“Ah, no no no! Please don’t yell! It’s just that I-I’ve never had a human _see_ me and my friend really doesn’t like loud noises a-and-”

The ghost kicked his legs around in the air as he floated, stumbling over his words, and looking down at the boy in the corner. Hyunjin looked on, watching the ghost shuffle around the room trying to calm the human down. The boy stopped a few feet in front of Hyunjin, in front of the broken pieces of the lamp. He stared at them with a firm gaze, and they simply melted through the floor.

“Wh-where the hell are your arms…?” Hyunjin’s grip on the chair tightened, but the ghost only sighed sadly and looked down towards his missing limbs.

“It came with the whole ‘becoming a ghost’ thing. I-I’ve gotten used to it though.”

“Uh huh… so you’re one of the ghosts.”

The ghost nodded back to him, eyes looking towards Hyunjin expectantly. 

“So you look like this.” Hyunjin mumbled, staring at the ghosts’ flowing sleeves.

“Yes, I do. Why? Is something the matter?”

“No, no it’s just- You don’t have any arms.”

He tilted his head to the side in confusion. “That’s it?”

Hyunjin nodded his head slowly. “I was just expecting you to have arms.”

The ghost chuckled brightly, and Hyunjin felt his ears burn red.

“We all lost _something_ that night. So did Felix. You’ll just have to get used to it.”

“Is Felix the other ghost?” 

The ghost nodded slowly. “I thought your friend told you our names, did he not?” 

“Are you talking about Mi-”

“Don’t!” The ghost ran up to Hyunjin, whispering the words in his ear. “Every time you say that name one of us comes and shuts the window, can’t you take the hint? Do you want to die?”

“N-no,” Hyunjin responded, shoving himself further into the corner. His eyes shifted nervously to the scissors on top of the vanity. “What were you going to do with those…?”

The ghost shook his head cutely.

“It’s not what you think. I just thought that you need a haircut… I was going to cut your hair for you, but now that you can see me...”

Hyunjin brought a hand back up to his own hair, feeling the coarse ends of his hair. The ghost’s pure white eyes looked at him innocently, blinking slowly. Hyunjin let out a soft sigh.

“Yeah, fine, it's about time for a trim.”  
  
  
  
  


He was sitting comfortably in the chair again. As it turned out, the ghost was still able to move objects with a type of ghost psychokinesis, and he had good control over the scissors which seemed to float around Hyunjin’s head.

“How am I able to see you?”

The scissors cut a small piece of hair from Hyunjin’s forehead. More snips as the ghost hummed softly, and a tuft of black hair rested on Hyunjin’s shoulder.

“I-I assume it has to do with the fact that this was my room, back when we played around in this place. We each had our own part of the manor, and since I was the youngest of the group, they just gave me this one room. Felix has the rest of the hall.” 

The ghost crossed his legs neatly, hovering slightly over Hyunjin’s shoulder.

“What about the rest of the manor? Who did the left-wing belong to, or the first floor?”

The ghost’s eyes focused on the door, lowering himself closer to the black-haired boy.

“Well, it all belongs to the third ghost, which makes this whole place a lot more dangerous. Remember what I told you? About not saying _his_ name?”

Hyunjin nodded silently, turned his head to face the other boy.

“I was being serious. Very serious. There are a few ‘taboo’ things in this manor, and saying his name aloud is one of them.”

Hyunjin furrowed his brow.

“Can you at least tell me why?”

“Well, if you say his name, it kind of ‘triggers’ the other ghosts, in a way? Especially the um… the third.” The ghost trails off in deep thought. “I don’t get affected as much but it’s still hard to watch.”

Hyunjin looks down at his hands clasped tightly under the vanity desk.

“Is that why so many tenants were killed before?”

The boy tensed up.

“That’s not something I like to talk about too much, but... “ He mumbled, looking towards the ground, “There are a few tenants who were lucky enough to get out before anything bad happened. Felix and I usually try to scare people away before they try too much, but sometimes people get too brave, and then…”

“Is it just the third ghost, then? My friend said there’s nothing to worry about.”

“No, he has more reason to be mad at him than anyone else that’s been in this manor. Even though that’s the case, if he just listened to us and thought about things _logically_ , we wouldn’t be in this mess. There’s no way to get through to him now, though.” He laughed to himself quietly, sadness tinting his usual bright tone. “He’s too far gone, now. He won’t listen to reason, even if it proves your friend’s innocence.”

“Proves my friend’s innocence? Did he do something?” Images of the townspeople flashed through his mind. _What did he do…?_

“I won’t be able to tell you here. You’ll have to find out some other way.”

Hyunjin grumbled and sank comfortably into the chair. “Alright, if you say so.” He watched the scissors skillfully trim his bangs, cutting the sides of his hair short.

“Do you think you can leave some of the hair at the bottom?” He asked the ghost, patting the hair around the sides of his neck. 

“Yeah, sure,” The ghost replied, “Can I ask why? It’s a pretty unusual style.”

“Ah, it might be a bit… unorthodox, but it just covers up a scar on my neck. I got hurt when I was a kid and people say it’s unsightly so I use my hair to cover it up. Scarves usually solve the problem too, but they get lost too easily.”

The ghost nods in understanding, cutting off just enough hair for the style to be neat, but leaving enough hair to curl around the base of Hyunjin’s neck. 

“Will this be enough?” The ghost asked politely, stretching out his legs to touch the floor. “I think it looks fine.”

Hyunjin ran a hand through his hair. It was smooth, free of knots. He smiled, looking up to the ghost behind him.

“As weird as it was getting a haircut from a ghost, it turned out pretty well.”

The ghost smiled back to him softly, shifting his weight to his other leg. “You can call me Seungmin. Don’t think this was just a free haircut, either. You have to pay me.”

 _Seungmin, huh?_ “How can I pay you? I’ll give you as much as you need.”

Seungmin scoffed, “What am I going to do with money? I meant you have to do something for us. For me.” 

Hyunjin nodded slowly, turning in his chair to look at the ghost. The other boy kneeled down in front of him, their faces on an equal level. 

“Stay in this house. With us. And never, ever go into the living room. You’re lucky you survived that first day.”

“Ah,” Hyunjin’s previously confident expression fell. “So that first day, with the candles, that was an attempt to kill me?”

“Mhmm.” Seungmin nodded affirmatively. 

“Oh, okay.” 

Hyunjin looked back at himself in the mirror, ignoring the way goosebumps began to form across his arms and legs.

“Don’t worry, Hyunjin,” the ghost continued, “Felix and I are going to make sure nothing happens to you. It’s been too long since we’ve had someone our age in this manor.”

Hyunjin hummed in response. “So, no going into the living room, I can’t say my friend’s name out loud… Is there anything else I’ll need to remember?”

Seungmin thought for a second, looking up towards the ceiling, then out into the hall.

“I’m not too sure. Most of our problems so far have come from people messing with the living room. Just be careful of what you touch.” Seungmin’s white eyes widened, and he turned to Hyunjin quickly. “If you see a shadow somewhere on the walls, don’t move. Or maybe you _should_ move. Maybe call for me or Felix… I’m not sure, just don’t try to make him mad.”

“I think you’re just making me more scared,” the boy huffed, “What else? Does he smell fear or something?”

“Probably.”

Hyunjin slouched down into his chair, his chin touching his chest.

“This sucks.” He mumbled, shutting his eyes and rubbing his arms, desperately trying to get rid of the goosebumps. He flinched as his arm ran across his bandage.

Opening his eyes in realization, Hyunjin wanted to ask the ghost how he got ahold of his name, but the boy was already gone.

“Great, this is great,” He mumbled, “This haunted manor just gets better every day, doesn’t it.”

Hyunjin stood up from the chair and walked downstairs to the kitchen, grabbing himself a fruit from the few remaining bags.

The empty living room stood across from him as he walked out of the kitchen, curtains fluttering lightly from where air seeped through the windows. Dust floated in the air, visible in the bright sunlight. Hyunjin looked towards the back of the living room, past the mirror, where the doorway to the small reading room was still boarded up. When he first arrived at the manor, he planned to tear the boards away the next morning. Now, he’s not even allowed inside.  
  
  
  
  


The evening passed by slowly. After gathering himself on that first morning, he had found some jewelry orders that he had left inside in his rush to get to the garden tower. Hyunjin had finished a few orders, many of which were still inside the tower. Jeongin had asked him about it, and Hyunjin had explained to him why he came to the town, as well as his line of work. Changbin had asked him to make him some jewelry as a joke, but Hyunjin was determined to find what he could inside of the tower. They had done so much for him, it was only right to give them gifts.

As he finished up Minho’s silver necklace, he heard his name being called from outside of the window.

“Hyunjin! Are you up there?” 

The call was faint through the closed window, but Hyunjin could hear it well enough to know it was Jeongin.

He walked over to the window, opening it up and flinching as the cold air hit his face.

“I’m doing fine, how’s the oven coming along?”

Jeongin leaned over the windowsill of the tower, watching as his older brother appeared from behind the tower covered in dust.

“The oven’s coming along fine,” Changbin responded, “It would be nice if we had some other tools, but we’re doing what we can with what we have.”

Jeongin said something to Changbin as the older walked up the steps of the tower. Hyunjin looked on, setting his arms on the edge of the window and watching the sun go down over the horizon.

“Where’s the weird guy?” Hyunjin asked, searching for Minho. “He _is_ still with you guys, isn’t he? You said he’s leaving tomorrow.”

Jeongin looked over his shoulder and around the small room of the tower. “He’s sitting right over there, back by your desk.”

“He’s not touching anything, right?” 

“Nope, just sitting there. Oh, now he’s coming over.”

The boy in question showed up at the window not long after, squatting down behind Jeongin. The younger shuffled around a bit and yelled, his older brother’s face scrunching up in disgust and concern.

“I think,” the oldest started when he jumped back up from the ground, “that Jeonginnie’s leg is fractured.”

Jeongin let out a yell in objection but Changbin nodded, glaring at the boy's leg.

“How do you know it’s fractured?” Hyunjin asked, tilting his head to the side.

“Well, his leg is pretty purple. I’ve been keeping an eye on it since this yesterday morning because he cried really hard at the bottom of the stairs-”

“Did not!”

“He can’t walk right either-”

“Can too!”

“And he’s been complaining about not being able to feel his leg for a while now.”

“Well, that’s not entirely wrong...”

“When I go back to the town I’ll have to bring some friends along with me so that they can get a good look at his leg,” Minho glared at Jeongin, who’s been interrupting his sentences, “and they’ll take _good_ care of you.”

Jeongin huffed lightly, setting his chin down on the windowsill. When his head touched the cold stone he yelped, head shooting up and hitting Minho in the jaw. The older recoiled in pain, and Jeongin grabbed at his head, laughing. Changbin looked at the two with a hand on his forehead.

“Hyunjin, can’t I just go into the manor with you?” He asked, exhaustion dripping from his voice.

Hyunjin chuckled, but begins to consider the thought. What _would_ happen if Changbin tried to come into the manor? The ghosts hadn’t mentioned anything against other visitors. He suddenly remembers the dangerous pranks set around the manor and he drops the idea entirely.

“Hold out as much as you can, I’ll be getting out of here soon!”

The air around him grew colder.

“How’s your stay in the manor been, Hyunjin?” Changbin pouted, “I didn’t get to talk with you this morning.” 

“The ghosts are fine,” Hyunjin answered, running a hand through his-now shorter-hair, “I’ve only met one so far, and he was really nice.

The air warmed up again. Hyunjin fought a smile.

“Wait, you met one of them?” Minho perked his head into view, still holding his jaw. Jeongin joins him, picking his head up out of his hands.

“Yeah!” Hyunjin yelled back excitedly, “I don’t think it was the one you all saw on the first night here though… Do you remember what he looked like?”

“We didn’t exactly see his face, it just looked like a… shape? The shape of a person.” Jeongin yelled back to him.

“Oh, well, nevermind. The ghost I met was really nice, though! He gave me this haircut and-”

“ _That’s_ what was off!” Changbin groaned from the tower, “I knew something looked different about you but I was too far away to tell!”

The two other boys opened their mouths in shock next to him, squinting to get a closer look. Hyunjin shook his head, letting his bangs fall over the front of his eyes, drastically shorter than they were before.

“Why? Why would you do that?” Minho cried dramatically from the tower window, “Your hair was the longest out of all of us! How could you!”

“Ah, it was just getting way too long, you see…”

“Which one of them was it? I’ll make them pay when I bring them back!”

The room around Hyunjin immediately dropped several degrees, leaving goosebumps on his skin. “I don’t think they like it when you say that!” He yelled back to him.

Minho huffs, “Did you catch his name, Hyunjin? Don’t tell me… you let a ghost cut your hair without even knowing their name?”

Changbin laughed loudly from the side of the windowsill, Jeongin joining in on the laughter hesitantly.

“T-That’s not it! I knew his name, I swear!” He defended his honor, because it was true! There were three ghosts in that manor, and he knew the name of each of them. Almost.

“Then what’s his name, Hyunjin?” Minho smirked from the tower window mockingly, all three of the boys waiting patiently. 

Hyunjin hesitated, remember the rules that Seungmin had mentioned earlier.

“I-Is it okay to say your name out loud? To them?” He spoke out into the empty room, unsure of whether he’d get a response or not. The room was freezing cold, the same temperature as the outdoors even with the fireplace going. There _had_ to be a ghost around.

He got his answer when he turned back to the window. “Go ahead,” the soft voice said, sending a chill down his already cold spine. “I don’t mind.” 

“Oh, _oh-_ my god, that scared me-” Hyunjin sputtered and turned around in a full circle, trying to catch a sight of the ghost.

“You can’t see me in here, remember?” Seungmin’s voice was filled with childish glee, and Hyunjin could feel him smile as he spoke.

“Hyunjin, are you okay up there?” 

He heard Jeongin calling up from the tower, the three boys huddled together at the windowsill.

“Yeah, I’m fine! His name was Seungmin! He cut my hair for me.” Hyunjin let out a huff, getting up on his toes to lean further out of the window.

Minho’s smile grew wide, the older clapping his hands together softly. 

The two bakers looked at each in confusion. “He cut your hair?” Changbin asked first, “How does that even work?”

Hyunjin barely remembered what it was called. “It’s psychokinesis-”

“Psycho-what?”

“He moves things with his mind, Changbin! That’s what that means. Anyway, he cut my hair so now it’s more manageable.”

“Kind of freaky to have a ghost cut your hair, Hyunjin,” Changbin scoffed, “Remember what I told you about trusting people too easily?”

Jeongin giggled next to his brother, Minho nodding behind the two of them.

“If you say that it’s Seungmin that cut your hair, then I’ll believe you. He used to give our group haircuts when we were young, and he was pretty good at it too.”

“Oh, is that right?” Hyunjin had a sly smile on his face, looking over his shoulder for any sign of the ghost.

“Yeah, Felix liked to cut our hair while we were asleep so Seungmin had to fix it up.”

Hyunjin began to laugh, but the window shut tight in front of him.

“Tell him to take it back.”

Hyunjin spun around, taken aback by a deep voice once. A few inches in front of him was another boy, shorter than Seungmin, and with a small, sweet face. His orange hair looked ruffled, and Hyunjin stared at his prominent freckles.

“Tell him or I won’t open this window back up.”

Hyunjin couldn’t speak for a moment. When the ghost pouted and narrowed his white eyes, a strong sense of dread fell upon Hyunjin. He spun back to the window.

“He wants you to take it back!” He yelled, Minho groaning back loudly. “The other ghost is offended, take it back!”

Changbin began hitting Minho’s shoulder lightly, whispering loudly to him. His whispers grew louder until Hyunjin could make out a soft, “Take it back, take it back!” from the older. Minho kept a straight face, growing closer to the window.

“Fine,” he spat, “I take it back!”

Hyunjin looked as far as he could to the side without moving his head. The ghost nodded his head and disappeared into a cloud of smoke, raising the temperature of the room once again.

“Thank you, I think he appreciates it.”

Minho looked up to the window, moving his head, trying to get a glimpse inside. “Is there someone there with you?” He asked.

Hyunjin thought for a second, scanning the room one last time. “No, it’s just me now, I think. The room _is_ pretty cold, though.”

“The tower’s getting cold too, we should close up the windows soon,” Changbin agreed, letting out a yawn.

Hyunjin glanced at the horizon over the long line of trees. The sun was nearly done setting, and they were left with a light purple glow. 

“Should we all say goodnight, then?” Minho asked, looking at the brothers, and then up to Hyunjin. Jeongin nodded enthusiastically from next to him, also letting out a loud yawn.

“I don’t know if I’ll be seeing you tomorrow, Hyunjin,” Minho began, “but I hope you stay safe!” He turned to Jeongin, “And you! I’ll be putting some medicine on your leg to see if the bruising heals. If it’s just a bruise, like you say it is, it should be gone, but if it’s not? You’re coming to town with me. We’ll take the wagon.”

“Wait, what about me?” Changbin objected. “I’ll be alone…”

Minho hesitated, looking at the younger in pity. “You’ll have Hyunjin…?”

Changbin grumbled, looking to the ground below the tower.

“It should only take me a day or two to go down the hill and come back with my friends, you two stay put!” 

Jeongin lifted his arms off the windowsill, looking at the older. “How are you so sure my leg is-”

“Because I am.” The answer was short, and Minho gave Jeongin a smile. It wasn’t a warm one. The younger nodded and sighed, perching his arms on the windowsill again.

“It’s getting cold now, the sun’s gone.” Hyunjin shivered at the cold wind coming in through the window. His fireplace was constantly lit, but the wind made the fire waver. The fireplace in the tower was still going strong-Hyunjin could see the billowing smoke coming out from the top.

“Then, I’ll see you tomorrow I guess!” Changbin started off the chains of “goodnights” and “goodbyes”, and Hyunjin shut his window with a sad smile. Another night in the haunted manor meant another morning of tricks and pranks set up by the ghosts. 

  
  
  
  
  


The next morning, Hyunjin woke up to the bright sun shining through his window. His open window.

He slowly shuffled out of bed to go and close it, tripping over a cup of water in the process. _Felix must have placed it on the floor,_ he thought, _He must have opened the window too…_ The boy looked out the window to the tower where the rest of the group was staying, but there was no longer any smoke coming from the top of the tower.

Hyunjin scrunched his face into a frown and shut the window tight, already shivering from the cold. It especially made his left arm cold, and he remembered he had to change the bandages. He trudged across his bedroom to the small bathroom in the corner and began to unwrap his bandages. Hyunjin was glad the tenants had installed working sinks, so he didn’t have to go down to the first floor and bring up a pail of water. It would have been too much strain on his arms, and he was happy just being able to sit on the bench in his second-floor bathroom.

As he was done unwrapping his bandages down to the skin, he felt a strong presence come from behind him.

“What happened to your arm…?” The deep voice asked. “It looks pretty bad.”

Hyunjin turned to the entrance of the bathroom, where the shorter ghost peeked through, his hands clutching the frame.

“Are you-”

“We didn’t do that to you, did we?”

Hyunjin blinked at the ghost, who’s expression seemed much softer than the day before. He almost seemed scared.

“You- No, no, this was a few days ago during the storm,” Hyunjin croaked, his voice still drowsy, “I wasn’t even in the manor yet.” 

The ghost nodded solemnly, his eyes facing the floor. “How long has it been, then?” 

Hyunjin blinked, trying to understand what the ghost was saying. 

“Since the storm, I mean. How many days has it been?”

Hyunjin looked around the room nervously, his hand still loosely holding onto the bandages.

“It’s been about 4 days…” Hyunjin spoke slowly, making eye contact with the ghost. Neither of them looked away. “Your name is Felix, right?”

The ghosts’ eyebrows raised slowly in surprise. “You know my name?” The ghost asked, “Who told you?”

“Seungmin told me…” Hyunjin’s voice softened, and he was nearly whispering.

The ghost, Felix, looked towards the exit of Hyunjin’s room, sighing softly. He turned his head back to look at Hyunjin, then to the wound on his arm.

“Do you need any help?” The ghost asked, his voice lifting at the end of the sentence.

Hyunjin knew he should refuse, Felix _was_ the more dangerous of the two ghosts, after all, but even through the ghosts’ blank white eyes, he saw innocence. He saw worry. He saw fear.

“Maybe. Maybe you can help a little bit.”  
  
  
  


Felix turned out to be not as bad as Hyunjin expected. The ghost was kind, bringing Hyunjin fresh bandages and bringing up glasses of water for the human. He was similar to Seungmin in the sense that he liked to hover in the air, but this was more because he didn’t have legs. Hyunjin was surprised at first. The ghost had pulled his body further into view, and Hyunjin was able to get a better look at him.

The ruffled orange hair was still apparent, but it was more patted down than the evening before. Felix wore an old military uniform, bright red with golden embroidery at the shoulders and on the black fabric connecting the two sides of the uniform, stretched across his chest. 

“It’s just what we were wearing that day,” Felix explained, “I was supposed to be a knight, or soldier I guess, Seungmin was the prince, our poet didn’t get into his costume in time, and our wizard…” Felix trailed off, his head falling to the side.

“Well, it’s a cool uniform…” Hyunjin managed to change the topic quickly. He had noticed that their “fourth friend” wasn’t a very welcome topic in the manor, and it pained him not to know why.

They talked more about the town and regular things. Hyunjin told him about the bakery and his friends. He told Felix about the mysterious thing in the lake, and he told him about how the brothers made him cookies on his first night in the hotel. Felix had glanced towards the pastries Hyunjin had placed near the wall of his room, mumbling about how he couldn’t eat food. Hyunjin reassured him that they’d bring him back to normal soon, but the ghost didn’t seem so hopeful.

Hyunjin was about to ask why they kept him locked inside the manor when a loud knock resounded through the halls.

“It’s coming from the back door,” Felix exclaimed, and he disappeared into a cloud of smoke once again. 

The knock echoed through the manor again, and Hyunjin stood up slowly. They had nearly finished wrapping up his arms, and all that was left was pinning the bandages in place. The boy decided to hold the bandages in place instead, rushing down the stairs to the back door.

Hyunjin heard the door creak open before he even reached the staircase. He grimaced at the stains on the dark wood before focusing his attention on the back door of the manor. It creaked again before it slammed closed, and quiet “oof” coming from inside the manor.

Hyunjin hurried down the rest of the staircase, rushing past the kitchen to see a familiar face standing in front of the back door.

“G’morning, Hyunjin! I, umm… I got bored?”

There, Changbin stood in front of the back door, his arms folded in front of his chest. He looked around the inside of the manor curiously. He slowly walked towards Hyunjin, who had his mouth wide open in shock.

“Wh-Why are you in here, Changbin?” The boy whispered, “You were supposed to stay in the tower!”

“Yeah but Jeonginnie and-”

“Don’t say their names if you want to stay alive!” Hyunjin narrowed his eyes at Changbin as a warning, and the boy held his hands up in defense.

“Alright, alright, my brother’s leg turned out to actually be fractured so they’re both going down to the town. I’ve been alone all morning and I can’t take it!”

Hyunjin sighed loudly, placing a hand on the older’s shoulder. “Was it really _that_ bad, Changbin?” 

The older nodded furiously, taking Hyunjin’s hand and holding it out between them. “It was so, _so_ boring in that tower, Hyunjin.”

The younger groaned in annoyance. “Do you realize that now we’re _both_ trapped in this manor? With ghosts?”

Changbin hesitated before replying in a sing-song voice, “At least we’re here together~!” He swung Hyunjin’s arm jokingly, and the younger let out an even louder groan.

“Fine, while you’re here you can at least help me patch up this arm,” Hyunjin tugged his arm back to his side and turned on his heels towards the staircase. “While you’re here you’re going to have to get used to not saying our friend’s names. Well, I guess you can say Jeongin’s. But don’t go into that living room. Ever.”

Changbin nodded and skipped next to Hyunjin, following him up the staircase, still looking around the manor. A specific trail of stains on the staircase caught his eye.

“Hyunjin, why is there-”

“That’s mine from when we first got here, don’t worry.”

Changbin let out a distressed whine from behind Hyunjin. “Should that make me relieved or more worried?”

Hyunjin chuckled, stepping into his bedroom. “Maybe both? At least it wasn’t the ghosts. They actually haven’t been too bad. They’ve helped me a lot if I’m being honest. One of them should still be around…” He looked cautiously around the bedroom, checking to make sure Felix wasn’t still in the room. “I’ll need you to pin these bandages together. We were almost done before you barged in.”

Changbin pouted, but it soon changed into a frown. “We? Who’s ‘we?’”

“Ah,” Hyunjin began, “It’s one of the other ghosts. He helped me get these bandages, but I didn’t talk to him for very long because, again, you had to barge in.”

The older laughed shyly, looking around the room nervously as well. “So, you’ve seen these ghosts before?” He whispered, “or are you just trying to scare me…”

“I’ve seen them before, of course,” Hyunjin pouted, “Do I seem like the type of person that would _lie_ to you?” He faked offense, flinching as Changbin pinned the bandages together. The older couldn’t seem to control his strength very much.

“No, no, I just still can’t entirely believe-” Changbin’s eyes shifted to focus on something behind Hyunjin. 

The younger felt a light pressure on his back, and his chest fell forward slightly. 

“Is this someone I should know…?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaahh there's 2/3 of ghost line!! and what are minho's intentions owo ?? find out next chapter!! or two? who knows how many chapters I'll need until its able to be completely pieced together lol we'll struggle through it together!! its planned out but not that thoroughly;;;
> 
> up next: a pov switch, then some oblivious chats back in the manor!


	7. the road diverges

There it was again. The ringing in his ears.

Minho shut his eyes tight, trying to ignore it. He walked faster. He held the wagon handle tighter. He took a deep breath-

“Minho can you - Ouch! - Keep the wagon - Ow! - Still?!”

Minho turned around to see Jeongin clutching the sides of the wagon, keeping his leg held up in the air. “There’s a lot of rocks here, can you walk a little bit slower?” The boy pouted, looking up to the older.

“Oh, yeah, I’ll go a bit slower.”

Minho walked at a normal speed, staring at the rocks on the trail. It kept him distracted.

“Hey, Minho?” The older turned to face Jeongin, his expression blank. 

“What?”

“Is it the ringing noise again?”

Minho huffed, turning back around. “It might be…”

“We can stop for a second if you need to rest, you know. We have the whole day ahead of us.”

This was just Minho’s problem. He didn’t know what was going on with him. 

One day, he’d be in complete control of his body, living normally and talking with those around him like a person. Other days, he would find himself unnaturally tired, usually with a few memories missing. He’d had this condition for many years, and he could never pinpoint exactly when it started, but it was the worst in the months before Hyunjin arrived. He would find himself waking up in the morning with no recollection of the previous day. There was only one way to fill in the blanks, and that was to discreetly get information from those around him.

Jeongin knew about this, of course. Jeongin was Minho’s student; a witches apprentice.

Jeongin had caught Minho in the gardens behind their small hotel, making flowers grow to full bloom in just seconds. He begged the older to teach him magic, and after a few months, Minho accepted him as an apprentice. The younger was soon introduced to Yerim and Hyunjin. They were Minho’s friends and coworkers in the field, and they practiced magic together. 

A few months after Minho accepted the boy as a student, it became clear that he won’t be able to teach him if he lost the memories of entire days at a time, so he told the younger. Jeongin had accepted Minho’s excuse, that it was just “a side-effect of his continued use of magic after a childhood accident.” It was a blatant lie, but Minho didn’t know the truth, and a little voice in his head told him to cover it up as best as he could.

And so the younger began to learn magic. They started from the basics: some medicinal drinks and essences. The boy mastered that easily, and they soon moved on to elemental magic, something Minho was happy to pass on to the young apprentice. Only 2 years into his training, Jeongin was able to move chunks of dirt that were on the ground, and change the shape of rocks or boulders.

He was a good student, but he was dangerously curious. Minho often found new books containing magic spells in the boy’s room. They were filled with spells that Minho had never taught the younger, spells that he had never done himself. He knew Jeongin was getting tutored by other witches in the area as well, but the younger never explained exactly what he was trying so hard to learn.

A quick tap on the wagon broke him out of his thoughts.

“Are you feeling okay Minho?” Jeongin asked softly, “You recharged just a few days ago, you shouldn’t be feeling so tired _already_.”

“Why do you call it recharging?” The older scoffed, turning his nose up at the strange name.

“What else can I call it? You stand in front of a sunset for a few seconds, pass out, then go about your day with your magical abilities back to normal. Do you know how many times Farmer Kim had to come for me because he found you asleep in his wheat fields?”

Minho didn’t respond and kept walking down the trail, his hand shoved into his pocket.

“Fine,” the younger frowned, “If you don’t want to talk about then I won’t push it, but…” He picked at the hole in his pants, right where he was hit by the wagon wheel a few days prior. “Can we make a stop by the hotel for a change of clothes? The wind keeps hitting my leg here and it’s making me uncomfortable.”

Minho twisted his head around his shoulder to see the hole Jeongin was talking about and hummed in agreement. “Fine, we’ll stop by the hotel for a change of clothes _only,_ but after that, we have to find my friends.”

Jeongin nodded his head happily from the wagon, carefully placing his leg back into the wagon. 

The younger looked at the trees around them. Most of them were large pine trees, and pine needles scattered the ground under them.

“Hey Minho, didn’t you say that some of the trees around here had medicinal properties? Like that thin one over there. Wasn’t that made for healing or something?”

Minho looked towards where the younger was pointing, a small fir tree that looked unnatural among the towering pines. He squinted at the pine needles littering the ground around the tree.

“Mmm, you may be right. We don’t have any other ingredients we need to bring out the medicinal properties, though. The needles won’t do anything on their own.”

Jeongin nodded curtly, “What goes into the spell, then?”

“Well, it’s not enough to heal a fractured leg, but those pine needles mixed with some type of alcohol or acidic citrus juice should be enough to get rid of bruising… The spell for it is just the standard healing incantation.”

“We could’ve gotten Hyunjin to throw us some of the oranges from inside the manor… All we had was the sweet fruits. I’m sick of them now.” Jeongin stuck his tongue out just thinking about eating another blueberry.

“If I remembered that this tree was here we probably could’ve grabbed one,” Minho sighed, “But it’s too late for that now, we’re more than halfway down.”

Jeongin sat back in the wagon, looking up at the tops of the trees. The sun shone through the branches, it was almost noon.

“How do you think Changbin and Hyunjin are doing?” The younger wondered, “I’ve never had to leave my brother’s side for so long.”

“They’re doing fine, I bet,” The older said, “They might be talking to each other through the windows again, or whatever else.”

Jeongin hummed in response, still worried about his brother. Minho quickened his pace as the path flattened out, the ringing in his ears growing louder.

“We should come back to them as quickly as we can…” Jeongin mumbled.

“Yeah,” Minho sighed quietly, “I guess we should.”

  
  
  
  
  
_Three hours prior_

The rest of the ride to the hotel was slow and uneventful. The ringing had stopped.

Jeongin only mumbled a few words in the back of the wagon. He had fallen asleep, his head hanging out of the back uncomfortably. Minho’s attempts to wake him up didn’t work, so he kept walking, allowing Jeongins incomprehensible mumbles to distract him from the noise.

Jeongin woke up when they came out of the forest, the younger being jolted awake when the side of the wagon hit a rock on the trail.

The younger coughed a few times as he woke up, muttering out a soft, “Are we home?”, scratching at his neck.

“Yeah, we’re almost home. Let’s get you a change of pants.”

Jeongin nodded, stepping out of the wagon when they finally neared the hotel, leaning against Minho, using the older as a crutch. The hotel was cold without anyone to light the fireplace.

Once up the staircase, Jeongin turned towards his room in the left hall, Minho following close behind.

“Do you think it’ll rain soon?” The younger asked, “It’s getting pretty cloudy outside.”

“It won’t rain, just get dressed.” The older reassured. Minho leaned against the wall outside of the room, picking at the lapels of his coat. 

Jeongin picked out a pair of pants from his wardrobe, a pair of light blue pants similar to the ones he was wearing before. He decided to take out a different jacket as well, trading out his soaked navy blue jacket for a brown coat with a white vest.

“Hm,” Minho grumbled when Jeongin came out from the room, “It’s definitely different from your usual style.”

“I had enough blue,” The younger chuckled, “It’s time for a change.”

Minho smiled lightly, offering his shoulder for the younger to hold onto.

“We’ll be heading to the forest down the street soon.” The older stated.

“Wait, the forest? I thought you said something about going into the flower fields…”

Minho looked towards the younger, confused, “The flower fields? I don’t remember saying anything about that.”

“You mentioned it on our way through the town! You said you had some friends who lived there and that they could help me with my leg _and_ figure out how to bring your friends back.”

“I don’t… I don’t remember any of that.”

It wasn’t a lie. Minho furrowed his brows, desperately trying to recall any mention of the flower fields. He didn’t even know what was _in_ the flower fields. Nobody wanted to trample over the soft white flowers scattered across the field. Now that he thought about it, he didn’t remember anything from the trip down the mountain.

“So, do we go into the forest or to the flower fields?”

Minho took a deep breath, falling victim to the voice in his head.

“The flower fields... If I mentioned it there might be something there worth checking out.”

The younger boy nodded hesitantly, grabbing onto Minho’s shoulder.

“Will I get to sit in the wagon?” He asked excitedly.

“No, Jeongin, you have to walk on your leg all the way down to the flower field.”

Jeongin’s face fell, staring into Minho’s eyes.

“It was sarcasm!” 

“Sure,” Jeongin pouted, walking down the stairs with Minho and back into the wagon.

“I feel like a child in here...” Jeongin sat back in the wagon, placing his fractured leg down carefully as Minho began to pull the wagon down to the mines.

“You should’ve thought about that before using your shins to stop a wagon filled with heavy things.” 

Jeongin groaned in response, “It would’ve been worse if I let it go, you saw how Hyunjin was. Trying to keep everything in the wagon… He would be devastated if everything we bought for him went to waste.”

“I guess…” Minho mumbled, “That boy is too caring for his own good.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Jeongin asked, “Hyunjin’s really nice to us, and he’s friendly.”

“It would be a good thing if he had some common sense. He’s friendly to everyone even if they might hurt him.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Jeongin tilted his head in confusion, looking up to the older. Minho felt his eyes boring into his back, but he kept walking, the little voice in his head getting louder. His fingers twitched on the handle of the wagon, his other hand swaying at his side unnaturally.

“How do you think the other two are doing?” Jeongin suddenly asked, snapping Minho out of his thoughts.

“Didn’t you ask the same thing a while ago?”

“I-I did, but I’m really worried about my brother. Hyunjin too, I guess.”

“You guess?”

“I don’t know… Hyunjin doesn’t seem to be having such a bad time in the manor, but Changbin can’t take being alone for too long.”

“I see…” Minho hummed, the duo finally nearing the mines. They were open again, and a few miners waved to the duo as they walked up the small hill over the cave entrance.

When they walked over the top of the hill, Jeongin looked across the seemingly endless field of flowers. Small white flowers with multiple white petals.

“Candytufts…” The younger mumbled.

“What was that?” Minho asked, “Candytufts?”

“Yeah, it’s the name of the flowers,” Jeongin mumbled hesitantly.

Minho stared back at the boy, watching his eyes scan over the field. The flowers stretched into the horizon, without a structure in sight.

“How are we going to get through?” Jeongin looked back up to Minho, his eyes shining in the sunlight.

Minho turned his head back in shame. He felt guilty. Why did he feel guilty?

“We’ll just walk through.” He responded curtly, beginning to pull the wagon through the flowers. The wheels of the wagon cut through the snow on the ground, leaving two long lines through the flowers.

“These aren’t supposed to be blooming right now, you know,” Jeongin mentioned, “Candytufts only bloom in the spring, but it’s January now, and there’s too much ice in the ground. They should be just shiny green leaves. How did I not notice this before?”

Minho sighed, “We live in an area densely populated with witches, Jeongin. Somebody must be keeping them in bloom.”

“But who? Why would anyone want to keep Candytufts in bloom, these are…” The younger trailed off, leaving at the bright white mass around him, nearly reaching the top of the wagon. He kept his hands in the wagon, folding them neatly in his lap. Minho flinched as the ringing introduced itself once again. Why was it getting so loud?

“There’s a cottage down there, right over the next hill,” Minho spoke up. He pointed to a small wooden cottage covered in leaves and shrubbery.

“Was that there before?” Jeongin asked, skeptical, “It stands out pretty well among the white.”

“Don’t worry, we just need to go check it out,” Minho assured him, “Can you make a path through the flowers really quick? I can’t see where I’m stepping.”

Jeongin nodded, taking a deep breath and parting his hands in front of him, parting the flowers in front of them in turn. As Minho took a step, the flowers under his foot would move out to the side, moving out of the way before his foot made contact with the ground.

“You’ve been learning a lot without me, haven’t you?” The older laughed, “I don’t remember teaching you this.”

“I- um,” The younger sputtered, “I have a few books that I read in my free time, n-nothing too special. Yerim and Hyunjin give me lessons sometimes too-”

Minho spun around to look at the younger. “You’ve been getting lessons from _Hyunjin?_ ” He asked in shock, “Hyunjin as in _Kim Hyunjin?_ Yerim’s wife?”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have said that…” The younger brought one leg closer to his chest, holding it under his chin.

“Hyunjin hasn’t been allowed to use her magic for a _long_ time now, Jeongin. What did she teach you?”

“S-She didn’t teach me too much!” He justified, “We couldn’t get too far into the lesson because Yerim came in and yelled at her…”

“Good for her! Hyunjin’s type of magic isn’t exactly… safe.”

“Uh-huh. Unsafe. Right…” Jeongin had his lips pressed tight, and he fanned his face with his hand.

“We’ll keep walking, then,” Minho looked towards the younger curiously, “Remember to practice magic safely, Jeongin.”

Jeongin nodded quickly, looking around the rest of the field.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


They came up to the cottage fairly quickly, the structure seemingly getting closer to _them_ as they came closer to _it._

The cottage was much larger than it had looked from a distance, and Minho dropped the handle of the wagon as they came closer. He made a beeline to the cabin, his stature straightening. The older cracked his neck on both sides and reached for the door handle.

“Hey, Minho, a little help here?” 

Jeongin struggled to pull himself out of the wagon. His non-injured leg had fallen asleep, and the tickling sensation ran up to his waist. Stepping on the ground proved to be dangerous, as he couldn’t put any weight on either leg without falling over. Waiting seemed like the best option, so Jeongin waited.

By the time Jeongin was able to stand, Minho had already walked into the cottage. Jeongin called after the older, but with no response.

“Minho? My leg is still fractured, can you-”

“Come inside.”

The older’s tone had shifted, and Jeongin flinched back.

Jeongin limped to the door where Minho stood, wincing whenever his foot touched the ground. _How did I survive the last few days with this leg?_

He finally reached Minho inside the small cottage and took his time looking around the interior as the older stood in the middle of the room, completely still.

The walls were a light yellow color, and wooden beams seemed to hold up the entire cottage. There was still furniture inside the cottage, and it looked used. It was clearly lived in, but Jeongin didn’t see an immediate sign of people.

“It’s about time, Cain.” A bright female voice came from around the corner. From behind the door of another room came a short woman with curly brown hair. Her dress was frilly and a light red, Jeongin had never seen anything like it. Jeongin grabbed Minho’s shoulder. Another woman came out from the door a second later, stopping next to the shorter.

“Lilith, Azazel.” Minho addressed the women calmly, and Jeongin’s grip on Minho loosened.

“It took you a long time to get here.” The taller woman spoke, her tone low. Her black hair brushed her shoulders, and she wore a long black dress without the usually puffed sleeves. Instead, the dress was flat, and the sleeves seemed to be made out of a lighter, thinner material.

Minho took a step forward towards the girls and turned to look at Jeongin in front of him.

“Minho?” Jeongin whimpered.

The boy’s eyes were glimmering with a ring of magic, but it wasn’t gold like it should’ve been. The magic was red. 

Jeongin’s eyes flashed out the door to the field of Candytufts, then to the lake beside them, and back to Minho’s strong gaze. 

Jeongin finally remembered exactly why these flowers were dangerous. 

Candytuft was a special flower, a flower that was essential in clearing a witches’ body for possession. It was difficult to make, as the drink had to be constantly supplied with fresh petals, making the effects of it wear off over time, but this field was filled with constantly blooming Candytufts, and it was right on the shoreline of Lake Miro.

“Minho…?” Jeongin mumbled, and with a calculated punch from the boy next to him, sleep took over.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Changbin lay sprawled out across Hyunjin’s bed, taking up as much space as he could. Hyunjin worked on some leftover jewelry orders. The melodic clicking of metal tools rang throughout the room, and Hyunjin heard a loud sigh.

“Hyunjin, can you stop working on those things for _two seconds_ ?” The older huffed, lifting himself up on his elbows. “Your arm is in no condition to be working on delicate things, first of all, and second - I’m sitting right here! I came here because I was bored out of my _mind_ and now I’m starting to think it was better in the tower.”

Changbin rolled over on the bed, coming closer to Hyunjin’s desk at the side. “C’mon, talk with me. I’ll go back to the tower if you don’t.”

“Then go,” Hyunjin joked, continuing to work on the metal framework for a ring.

“Hyunjin-” The older whined, kicking his feet on the bed, “I have nobody to talk to!”

“Don’t you have ghosts to talk to? You took quite a liking to Felix earlier-”

“W-What!? No! No that’s not right, Hyunjin, I was just scared, that’s all!” Changbin stopped rolling around on the bed and glared at the younger.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize that getting scared includes red ears and a lot of staring. You almost reached out to touch his hair before he disappeared again! I saw you!” Hyunjin laughed, waving his arms around and wincing as his elbow hit the desk.

“It’s not my fault his hair looks fluffy... W-wait, no! Shut the fuck up! They might be listening!” Changbin sat up and hit Hyunjin on his shoulder, looking around the room.

“Fine, fine, you win! I’ll talk with you. My arms were starting to hurt anyway.” Hyunjin gave in easily, already tired of working on the same pieces of jewelry. He had finished his friends’ accessories earlier that day, and Changbin was wearing his respective necklace, a silver chain with a small rabbit shape that Hyunjin carved out of some scrap metal.

(“Why is it a rabbit?”

“Because you look like one!”)

Hyunjin still had a few bruises on his upper arm.

Hyunjin threw himself onto the foot of the bed, not wanting to hit Changbin, who was laying on top of _his_ pillow. Hyunjin decided to deal with him later.

“Why did you come into the manor, exactly,” Hyunjin began, “It can’t be _just_ because you were bored, there must have been something else about it.” He stared up at the ceiling, waiting for Changbin to find a comfortable spot to lay down. He chose to lie opposite of Hyunjin so that both boys were facing different directions.

“Well, I really was bored. Jeongin usually sticks by my side all the time, so I don’t really like the feeling of not having him here.”

Hyunjin picked his head up, digging his chin into his chest. “You couldn’t have asked him to stay?” He croaked out, putting his head back down and rubbing at his throat.

“He wouldn’t like it if I did that,” The older sighed, “Do you remember that one fight we had, back when he found out about the vampires?”

Hyunjin nodded, followed by a moment of silence. _Oh, right, he can’t see me._ “Yeah, yeah I remember.”

“Well,” Changbin continued, “He said I was a burden. He hates me. He didn’t talk to me much while we were in the tower either.”

“Oh, really?” This was new information for Hyunjin. He didn’t hear much of what happened back in the tower. Not the details, anyways.

“Yeah. He spent most of the time with _you know who_ after we had a little fight. I don’t know exactly how it started but it hurt. A lot.”

Hyunjin frowned. It pained him to listen about his two friends fighting, especially when it was something serious.

“Jeongin might just be acting like that because he’s a teenager. He’s still 17, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, I guess… It would explain a lot but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt the same. Even if he did say it out of anger, it must have been something he’d been thinking about for a while. That’s the way I see it.”

“You’re being way too harsh on yourself, Binnie-”

“What did you call me?”

“-If it was in the heat of the moment then I’m pretty sure he only said mean things because he knew that they would hurt you. That’s what people do when they’re mad. It’s something _I_ used to do when I was mad. That’s so embarrassing…”

“Wait, wait, wait. Let’s go back to you calling me Binnie. How old are you?”

Hyunjin blinked a few times. “I’m 19.”

“And how old am I?”

Hyunjin hesitated, stuck between two choices. He picked up his head to look at Changbin’s face, then laid it back down with a smile.

“You’re 40.”

“Hey, I _will_ hit you. On your injured arm. Watch yourself.”

“Okay, I get it. You are 21, I believe…” Hyunjin dragged the sentence, unsure of his answer.

Changbin kicked Hyunjin’s shin. “I will be in half a year. I’m 20 now.” 

“You never told me!” Hyunjin yelled.

“I don’t care if I never told you! This is an important piece of information!”

Hyunjin scoffed and rolled his head to the side. He heard a sigh from the opposite end of the bed and hummed in question.

“I just miss my brother…” Changbin confessed.

“Is that why you’ve been acting pissy all day? He’s probably doing just fine.”

“That’s not what I mean,” Changbin said, “Jeongin has been hiding a lot of things from me and I don’t know exactly what it is that he’s been hiding. He goes out to different places a lot and hands out with people that I don’t know, and when he comes home he gets all secretive and won’t tell me where he spent his entire day. It might come off a bit paranoid, but after what happened to our parents I’ve been… worried."

“Hmm, I see…” Hyunjin hummed in response. “You’ll be able to talk with him when he gets back. You _have_ to. It’s one thing my parents always talked about in my house. Communication, that is. Whenever one of us had a problem we would discuss it over dinner. We had a butler to act as a mediator to keep us in check, and the problem would be resolved by the end of the night.”

Changbin hummed with interest.

“You should tell Jeongin how you feel, _without_ yelling,” Hyunjin proposed, “I’m sure he wants to apologize, too. You two are too close to let something like this split you apart.”

Changbin sighed dramatically, “You’re right! We just need to talk and get it all over with. When we get back to the hotel, and things go back to normal, we’ll talk.”

“How about right when they get back?” Hyunjin asked.

“No, no! That’s too soon. I need time to, um, collect myself? I need to get my thoughts organized.”

Hyunjin hummed in agreement and took a deep breath. “We don’t know how long they’ll be gone, Changbin. They might come back this evening, they might not. You have the whole day to get your thoughts organized.”

“But-”

The door creaked open slowly, and Hyunjin tilted his head back over the edge of the mattress.

“Felix?” He asked. 

A tuft of orange hair was poking through the door frame, obviously the small ghost. At the sound of his name, Felix poked the rest of his head through the door with a scowl on his face.

“Seungmin wants to talk to you two,” Felix said, “It’s… important.”

Hyunjin held himself up on his right arm, making eye contact with Changbin at the other end of the bed. He looked back to Felix and nodded, slowly getting up.

The trio made their way into the vanity room opposite of Hyunjin’s. It was the place Hyunjin first met Seungmin, and the only place the ghost was able to physically appear. Felix stood outside the door, holding it open for Hyunjin and Changbin to walk through. Once they were both inside, Felix shut the door behind them, wearing the same pained look on his face.

Hyunjin turned to look at the large window in the room. Seungmin was hovering slightly above the window ledge, his legs crossed neatly.

“Ah, so you’re Seungmin…” Changbin guessed from beside Hyunjin, looking over the ghost in front of him.

Seungmin nodded in response, his eyes shifting to Hyunjin. “I have good news and bad news,” He stated, “Which do you want to hear first?”

Changbin and Hyunjin looked at each other, then back to the ghost. Changbin wore a look of worry and pale shock, never having seen the ghost before. Hyunjin gave him a hard pat on the back, and the older didn’t even flinch.

“We’ll take the bad news first,” Hyunjin offered.

Changbin looked up to Hyunjin in surprise. “What? Why the bad news?” He argued, “Shouldn’t the good news be first?”

“It won’t matter, you’ll hear both ends anyway. I shouldn’t have asked,” The ghost sighed loudly and looked to the ground.

“There’s something big going on in town, and I don’t know exactly what it is,” He began, “but I can feel it. Something’s wrong with the energy. The same thing happened about 30 years ago when we were still alive, and again on the night we died. We couldn’t do anything then, but maybe you can help now that you’re here.”

Hyunjin looked at the ghost, confused. “Why do you think _I_ can help? I’ve only been here for a little while, and the two people in our group who actually have an idea of what’s going on aren’t here…”

“He’s changed, Hyunjin,” The ghost murmured, his voice getting softer, “ Your friend, that is. There’s something different about him and it isn’t good…”

Changbin shivered, and Hyunjin glanced at the older. Changbin was biting his cheek, his ears bright red and brows furrowed.

“What do you mean there’s something different about him?” Hyunjin asked, his voice kept low.

Seungmin hummed, stretching his legs out in front of him, then letting them touch the ground.

“He used to be much nicer, for one thing. He used to care more. Now, he just doesn’t have the same… feeling, that he had before. It’s so drastic, I can’t _not_ notice it.”

Hyunjin nodded along, urging Seungmin to tell them more.

“It was really strange this morning, right before he left with the other boy. He wasn’t himself. It was like… like there was somebody else in his place.”

Hyunjin let out a low breath, one that was supposed to be a whistle, but he couldn’t find the strength.

“So, what are we supposed to do about it?”

Seungmin stood still for a moment, his eyes closed in thought.

“The small, innocent boy that went down the hill this morning. Will he be feeling better soon?”

Hyunjin squinted, looking at the ghost in confusion. Changbin had a similar look on his face.

“His leg is fractured, so I don’t think it’ll be getting better any time soon…” Changbin answered, his voice wavering.

“That’s not what I meant,” Seungmin sighed, “Will he be feeling better _mentally_.”

Hyunjin looked at Changbin, staring into the olders’ eyes. 

“He will be,” The younger answered.

“You need to go save them. Make sure they’re kept safe and level-headed. ” Seungmin directed, “Even with a fractured leg, the younger one has very strong magical energy. If he manages to fix… _him…_ they might be able to bring us back.” Seungmin finished the sentence softly. Hyunjin could barely hear him over the sound of blood rushing to his ears.

Changbin still looked skeptical, his face growing paler by the second. “And how do you propose we go save him, huh? If what you’re saying is true, both of them could be anywhere by now!”

Seungmin froze before clearing his throat.

“There’s a forest opposite of Lake Miro, that dark one that doesn’t have any trails leading into it,” Seungmin looked at the duo, making sure they were still following along, “You need to find two people there, Chan and Bambam. They won’t be happy to hear from me now, but they’ll be able to help you out. They know more about the beginning of this town than I do, and they probably noticed more of the shifting energies from their spot in the forest too.”

Changbin’s face softened. “So… you’re letting us go?” He whispered.

Seungmin’s face fell, a tinge of sadness in his blank white eyes. “I have no other choice. If I want to be freed from this manor, I have to trust the both of you. You have to come back to us.”

Hyunjin felt a smile tugging at his lips, but the look on the ghost’s face killed any happiness he felt.

“We’ll come back,” Hyunjin assured him, “We’ll bring you back, I’m sure of it.”

Changbin turned sharply, glaring at Hyunjin. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep-”

“Really?” Seungmin’s face lit up, a small smile replacing his sullen expression. “You’ll come back?”

Hyunjin wore a look of determination. “I promise,” He looked down at the ghosts’ empty sleeves. “I’d shake your hand to seal it off, but…”

Seungmin chuckled brightly, the sound alone making Hyunjin’s heart flutter, but there was business to be done.

“Good! I’m glad,” Seungmin cleared his throat to continue. “Felix is going to lead you both to the stairs and open the front door. It’s the closest door to the bottom of the staircase so it’ll be the safest exit-”

“Wait, safest? You’re _letting_ us leave, aren’t you?” Changbin interrupted. There was a worried glint in his eyes.

“You’re forgetting that there’s 3 of us,” Seungmin reminded, “Lix took some convincing to let you both leave, but he’s ultimately on my team. The third, on the other hand…”

Hyunjin and Changbin looked at the ghost with worry. Seungmin continued after a deep groan.

“Squirrel boy is a whole other problem that Lix and I are going to have to take care of.”

“Will you be okay?” Hyunjin asked.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve had to deal with him. You’ll just have to watch out because Jisung has control over the first floor, and by control, I don’t mean making pretty candles flicker, I mean throwing cabinets and using chandelier shards as bullets.”

Changbin gulped loudly, grabbing at Hyunjin’s arm. His _injured_ arm. “You mean we can-”

“You won’t! You won’t die,” Seungmin interjected, “Lix and I are here to help with a bit of defense from the second floor. Well, mostly Lix. My control over large objects is limited. The most I can do is pick up a bowl...” The ghost lamented, his bottom lip turning up.

“I’ll do it,” Hyunjin declared, “If our friends are in trouble I’ll do what I can to help them out!”

“What?!” Came the objection from next to him, “Hyunjin, we are _normal people,_ these are supernatural creatures we are dealing with! How the hell do you think we’re supposed to win!”

“Um,” The younger hesitated, “Determination and friendship?”

“That’s good enough!” Seungmin laughed, “Once you reach Chan and Bambam they’ll take care of the rest of the work. You two are comfortable with vampires, right?”

Changbin let out a strained whine, “Just my fucking _luck_.” 

Hyunjin had a similar, defeated look on his face.

“Oh, you’ve had a bad encounter, I see…” Seungmin mumbled, “These two are really nice though, I promise. They used to be my… let’s say parental figures when I was younger.”

Hyunjin tried to find some damage control, anything to comfort Changbin who was digging his fingers into the younger’s bicep.

“Hey, you remember Olivia?” He slapped Changbin's hand, “She’s a vampire but she’s really nice, yeah?”

Changbin whipped his hand away, holding it close to his chest, “I guess?” He whined.

“Ugh, we’ll cope with it on the way down,” The younger decided, too much information going through his head at the moment. 

Seungmin gave the boys a worried look, “Felix is right outside the door, he grabbed some fruit for you both to eat on the way down.”

Hyunjin nodded slowly, Changbin already turning to leave. 

“Hey, Seungmin?” Hyunjin whispered. The ghost looked up at him, his head tilted to the side. “We’ll be back soon, okay?’

The ghost gave him a tired smile, “Of course you will. And, one last request, Hyunjin? As payment for that haircut.”

Hyunjin smiled, his heart fluttering in his chest at the memory, “What is it?”

“Tell them I’m sorry,” Seungmin murmured, “For everything.”

Hyunjin’s smile dropped when he saw the ghost's sorrowful expression, but before he could ask for an explanation, Seungmin had disappeared into the air once again.

“Will do,” He nodded, hoping that the ghost would hear.

Hyunjin followed Changbin out of the room, the older already holding the bag of peaches. Changbin was talking with Felix, a blush spread across his face. Felix, on the other hand, stood stoic, watching the human stumble over his words. Changbin shut up as soon as Hyunjin came into view and pretended that nothing happened, but Hyunjin wasn’t blind.

“You’re so embarrassing,” The younger laughed.

“This isn’t a very funny situation, _Jinnie,_ ” He scolded, his ears still burning red.

Felix hovered behind the duo, who were standing at the top of the staircase. “When I open the front door, run.” He ordered. His deep voice darkened the atmosphere.

“Understood,” They both replied. Hyunjin’s hands shook with adrenaline. 

Changbin clutched the bag of peaches closer to his chest as the front door opened slowly, a loud creak emitting throughout the manor.

“Go, go, _go!_ ” Hyunjin stage-whispered, hitting Changbin’s back as they bolted down the stairs.

It was over in a flash, Hyunjin barely hearing his surroundings over the sound of blood rushing to his ears. A table was thrown in front of them, crashing and splintering, sending pieces of wood across the room.

Hyunjin felt a piece hit his leg as he neared the front door, but he kept running. He felt Changbin grab onto his hand as they ran, tugging him forward when the younger tripped. 

The front door wavered between opening and closing, and when they finally made it out, the door slammed shut.

With a wince the boys ran further into the yard, stopping to turn back and look at the manor. They struggled to catch their breath. 

They watched the windows of the manor shatter from the inside. Glass shards dropped into the grass below. The boards of the far left reading room began to shake and come loose.

“We should…” Hyunjin coughed. A board broke off of the reading room completely, the force sending it flying towards the duo. “We should go.”

Changbin nodded furiously, sucking in a deep breath and taking off, still clutching the bag of peaches in his hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so yeah minho and jeongin are witches!! and minho is possessed by cain. :( 
> 
> im in the middle of writing out chapter 9 so ill probably have ch8 out in another two weeks! i like saving the chapters as rough drafts just in case i want to change a minor detail... so she'll be out in just a bit!
> 
> up next: a great feast!! 
> 
> for anyone wondering: the couple in the cottage is chuu and yves


	8. the vampires and a boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dropping this one a few days early !! hope you guys like it 🥺

Hyunjin’s breath shook as they neared the hotel. His vision was blurry, the light from the sunset burning into his eyes. 

“We’re home,” Changbin groaned from next to him, his voice coarse.

They had run down the rest of the hill wordlessly that afternoon, each breath shallow and painful. 

“Peach?”

Hyunjin looked at the older in silence, eyes shifting between the bag and the door of the hotel.

“Sure,” He decided.

Changbin took a peach from the bag, dropping it into the younger’s hand. His hand was trembling too, Hyunjin noticed, and they walked through the door of the hotel. 

“I’ll… I’ll be right back,” The older mumbled. They had to make a quick stop for a change of clothes before heading along the path into the forest, and while Hyunjin was easily able to change at his own home, the older had to survive with the muddy black jacket.

Hyunjin sat down on the couch in the room on his left, taking a bite of the soft peach. He caught his breath, drifting off into sleep as he waited for the other. He began to think: what exactly did he get himself into?

He came to Yellowood for the first time to help his parents. Well, mostly, they just sent him to the town against his own wishes. At first, he was worried. Hyunjin had never lived on his own before, what would this experience be like? His parents told him the staff wouldn’t be leaving with him, so for the first time in a while, he was going to be truly alone.

He took another bite of the peach.

Maybe it was the fear of leaving his parents that was the real reason for his worries. Maybe he didn’t really want to leave his friends behind. Maybe he wasn’t ready to be on his own. What Changbin had said to him a few days ago stuck to him: Maybe he did trust others too easily.

Another bite.

Memories of the hectic days came back to him as he sat, recalling the string of events. There was the situation with the manor. When Hyunjin first came to the manor, he was petrified of the ghosts. They tried to kill him, of course, he was afraid! So why did he trust Seungmin so quickly with that pair of scissors? Why didn’t he just run away?

His tooth scraped against the seed uncomfortably, and Hyunjin tensed up.

On the day he tried to go into the town for food, he had met Minho. He trusted the older. A stranger. Hyunjin had followed a stranger into an unknown town, listened to stories that may have been lies, and slept in a strange hotel away from the bustling main hall.

He trusted the bakers, too. He trusted that strange fruit seller, who’s out-of-season fruits were still kept fresh. He trusted the vampire in the thrift store with not just his own safety, but Changbin’s as well. It could have gone wrong so many different ways, what if it hadn’t turned out so well? What would’ve happened to them?

Now that Minho and Jeongin were in trouble, Hyunjin felt responsible for everything. Promises were made at the manor, promises that he couldn’t break. _He_ dragged Changbin into this mess, so Changbin shouldn’t have to worry. Changbin didn’t make that promise. He had his own business to take care of, and a little brother to spend time with. Once everything was over, Changbin, Jeongin, and Minho would go back to living their regular lives. They would spend time with their friends and their families. 

Hyunjin didn’t have any of that anymore, not if he wasn’t able to go back to his old town. He was going to do everything himself if it meant fulfilling that promise. He had nothing left to lose, after all.

“Well, that settles it,” He mumbled aloud, taking one last bite of the peach.

Hyunjin gathered himself and walked out the door of the hotel, closing it softly behind him.

He never meant to get Changbin and the other boys involved. He never meant for any of this to happen. He just wanted to help his family.

Hyunjin walked faster, his hair bouncing as he traveled down the road towards the forest. 

He passed the bakery, still full of life, unbeknownst to what’s going on around them. _Maybe the brothers will be able to get back to baking when all of this is over,_ he thought, _If I just do my part right, everything will go back to normal._

Hyunjin slowed his pace, an acceptable distance away from the hotel. He took a deep breath, looking up towards the sky and wondering: How did it all come to this?

“Hey, where the _fuck_ do you think you’re going?!”

A rough voice broke the younger out of his thoughts, and a relieved smile spread across Hyunjin’s face.

“I was done changing and you were _gone_ , Hyunjin, how dareyou! You scared the hell out of me!” Changbin groaned as he walked up to Hyunjin, holding the bag of peaches. “Why’d you leave, anyway? I thought you’d wait for me.”

Hyunjin’s smile softened.

“I just… didn’t want to drag you into anything. It was me that made the promise to go back and help the ghosts, and I didn’t want to force you into anything. I’ve messed up more than enough already…”

Changbin huffed, “You thought I’d let you do this alone? Dumbass!” He patted Hyunjin’s back, sending the younger forward, “It’s _my_ brother that we have to go save anyways, don’t try and butt me out of this.”

“But-”

“No, I’m coming along! You don’t have to do this yourself.”

Hyunjin sighed in defeat, accepting his situation. No matter how guilty he felt, there was no persuading Changbin when it came to his little brother.

  
  
  
  
  
  


“So, how far away is this house again?” Changbin whimpered from beside Hyunjin. It was beginning to grow dark, and the boys were tired.

“I-I don’t know…” Hyunjin whispered in return. “Let’s just keep walking.”

Changbin bit into a peach, making a defeated noise when the juice dripped down onto his jacket.

“Ahh, didn’t you just change? How messy of you,” Hyunjin teased.

“Shut up,” The older fought back, wiping his face with his sleeve. “Do you want one?”

Hyunjin grimaced, “Ugh, no, I’m so sick of them.”

Changbin shrugged, taking another bite. “Well, we don’t have any other food. I was going to stop by the bakery for some sweets before we walked into the forest but you had other plans.”

“I didn’t even think of that…”

Hyunjin’s stomach groaned loudly, but just the sight of the peaches made him wince.

  
  
  
  
  
  


The forest grew denser as they walked. The beaten trail turned into packed snow, and the trees grew closer together. Thick branches hung down in front of their faces, and twigs snapped beneath their feet, the sound more resonant in the quiet of the forest.

Hyunjin focused on a particular tree in the distance, its bare branches curving downwards as if there was a weight on them. He squinted his eyes, looking closer at the branches. There _were_ weights on it, small baskets and plants tied to a string, hanging off of the branches to dry.

“Hey, I think I found the house?” Hyunjin whispered, still unsure.

“Where the hell do you see a house?” Changbin looked around the forest, searching for any sign of a structure.

“ _There_ ,” Hyunjin sighed, taking Changbin’s hand and pointing to the small cottage, an array of colorful bottles gleaming in the moonlight.

“Ah, _there,_ ” Changbin mused, a smile creeping onto his face, “I almost thought we were lost…” 

“Yeah, me too.”

Branches scratched at Hyunjin’s legs as they went off-trail, heading directly towards the house in the distance. The snow grew higher, and the tree branches reached lower, grasping at his hair as he walked past. 

There were a few holes below the snow, holes that Hyunjin nearly tripped into when he refused to take his sight off of the cottage in front of them.

Hyunjin eyed the colorful bottles as they neared the door. Each bottle was filled with small flowers and plants submerged in water, ranging from large plant leaves to small pieces of petals. 

“Ooh, freaky,” Hyunjin cooed, making Changbin grimace

“Don’t start taking a liking to this supernatural stuff, it’s freaky and it’s _dangerous_ ,” The older warned, “Let’s just find out where Minho and Jeongin are, then be on our way.”

Hyunjin nodded while a smile on his face, raising his fist to knock on the door. Before he was even able to touch it, though, the door slowly opened up to reveal a familiar face.

“Chris?” Hyunjin questioned, blinking a few times to process the face of the carriage driver in front of him.

“Ah, Hyungjun! I’m surprised you recognize me, it’s been awhile, hasn’t it?” The man responded, an innocent smile on his face.

“Uhh,” Hyunjin paused, “It’s only been two weeks, and actually, my name… it’s Hyun-”

Changbin stepped beside the younger, “Oh, you two know each other-?” 

“Hyunjin! Oh, we’ve been waiting for you to get here!” Someone new came into view, someone with fangs.

“What the _fuck_.” Changbin cursed, grabbing at Hyunjin’s right arm, trying to hide.

“A-And what’s your name, sir?” Hyunjin managed to squeak out, still staring at the man’s fangs. He knew they were going to meet vampires, but he didn’t know they were going to meet… _vampires._

“My name is Bambam. Who’s your friend, Hyunjin?”

“H-His name is Changbin!” Hyunjin confessed, earning him a soft punch in the back.

“Well then, come on in!” Chris welcomed them inside, motioning towards a small floor table, covered in meats and various other dishes, “The both of you must be hungry from all that walking. Bambam and I prepared a small dinner earlier, but we wouldn’t mind having you two join us! I do hope it’ll be enough!” He clasped his hands together with a smile, looking at the duo excitedly.

Changbin began to slowly come out from behind Hyunjin, eyes wide at the array of food at the table.

“Oh, that’ll be more than enough,” Hyunjin smiled slowly, his shoulder shoved forward as Changbin ran ahead, taking a seat at the table, quickly followed by the younger. 

The duo waited patiently for Chris and Bambam to sit down across from them, not wanting to be rude.

“Well, eat up!” Chris urged, “We could hear your stomach's grumbling from a mile away.”

Hyunjin pursed his lips, not knowing if they were serious or not. They were vampires, after all. Maybe they _were_ able to hear it?

He wasn’t able to finish the thought, Changbin already shoving a fork full of ham into Hyunjin’s face. It was irresistible to the boy, his stomach growling loudly as he stared at the meat in front of him. He began to take the fork from Changbin’s hand, but the older looked at him with dissatisfaction.

“I am _not_ letting you feed me…” Hyunjin scowled.

“Fine, I’ll keep it for myself then,” Changbin turned his chin up, starting to take the ham away.

Hyunjin sputtered, “Wait! Wait, wait, that’s the best piece,” Hyunjin’s eyes shifted between the piece of ham on the fork and the open spot in the very middle of the slab of ham. “Give it to me.”

“Let me _feed_ you, Hyunjin.” The older insisted, a sly smile creeping onto his face.

“Changbin, as a member of a sophisticated family, I have morals. I can _not._ ” 

“It’s not like there’s a member of the family to witness you breaking their precious rules, go on, rich boy!” Changbin waved the piece of ham in front of him, and Hyunjin’s eyes were crossed in focus.

Finally, with Hyunjin’s stomach growling particularly loudly, the younger lunged forward, taking the piece of meat clean off the fork. 

Changbin clapped in satisfaction, taking another piece of meat for himself and laughing with joy as Hyunjin held his head in his hands.

“So, I assume you two are close?” Chris spoke up from the opposite side of the table, barely containing quiet laughter.

Changbin shook his head violently, continuing to pick up pieces of chicken from the center.

“We only met a few days ago, actually!” Hyunjin informed, “As for the two of us seeming close, well… it’s been a tough few days.”

Hyunjin’s shoulders slumped as he recollected the events he and Changbin had to endure over the past week. Minho passing out in the fields, Kevin and the lake situation, Changbin and his brothers’ fight, finding out that _vampires_ came out at night… it all happened in a day. That wasn’t mentioning the accident in the forest and the problems with the manor afterward. 

The bandages on Hyunjin’s arm felt impossible itchy, and he held his arm closer to his chest while the other gathered much-needed food onto a plate.

“I see,” Chris began, “You must have come here for a reason then, I’m sure. Not many people are able to find this cottage.”

Hyunjin remembered the night he was dropped off near the manor, Chris helping him gather his things before Hyunjin was left to find the manor on his own.

“Didn’t you say this cottage was behind the river?” Hyunjin questioned, “This is definitely not across the river.”

Chris looked surprised, looking towards Bambam on his left. “All these forests look the same… Are we not across the river?” He asked quietly.

“I was feeling nostalgic.” Bambam murmured back to him, a small smile on his face. “We’re in the southernmost forest again. We have been for a week. You were complaining about the spell bottles going missing just a few days ago-!”

Chris sent an apologetic look to Hyunjin when he turned to look at the boy again.

“We were _supposed_ to be across the river, but I guess my husband decided to use his, spectacularly mastered, by the way, displacement magic to place the cottage back in the woods because of… _nostalgia_.” 

Said husband sat happily in the chair next to the man, picking up the last piece of chicken from the center plate. “I’m surprised it took you this long to realize…”

Changbin let out a strained noise, watching as the vampire ate the last piece right in front of him.

“I’m sorry… displacement magic?” Hyunjin asked, “I thought you guys were vampires…”

“We are! Just because we’re vampires doesn’t mean we can’t use magic, right? Bambam can use displacement magic pretty well by now, meaning he can place objects into different areas as long as there’s a space for them. Once he learned that he could place our own cottage in different forest clearings nearby, he’s been changing our location at least once a year,” Chris let out a defeated sigh as he slumped back down in his chair, “I don’t go out too much, so it takes me a while to figure out where we are. If I have to go out beyond our little area, Bambam tells me exactly where we are and how to get back.”

Bambam nodded, going on to explain, “I often help out other witches in the town with getting herbs and other things they need for spells. These forests can get pretty dangerous with the bears and all, of course.”

Hyunjin sat forward in his chair, “Oh, so there’s _witches-_ ” 

“I thought Minho was joking about that!” Changbin interjected, his still chewing on a piece of chicken.

“Oh, you two are friends with Minho? How’s he doing?” Chris asked innocently.

“Oh-he’s, well…” Hyunjin thought for a moment, “I actually have a few questions-”

Chris-or Chan-lifted his head up at the mention of the name. “Yes, what about him?”

“Uh, first of all, about a week ago, when we first met… he knew some stuff about me and said he got it from you. Like, about me being a jeweler? How did you know that?” 

“You didn’t tell Minho you were a jeweler?” Changbin asked from the side.

“No, I don’t usually tell people about my profession. I don’t think I told Chris about it either,” Hyunjin answered, looking to Chan, eager for an answer.

“It’s a pretty long story, but - do you remember your great aunt?”

Hyunjin thought for a second. “Aunt Jihyo?” He asked, looking to Chan for confirmation.

“Mmm, no not Jihyo. She was like a little sister to me but she was usually away on trips with her own family. I’m talking about Aunt Yeji.”

“Hwang Yeji! I remember her!” Bambam spoke up from beside Chan, a curious look on his face. “Why are we talking about her, its been a few decades, hasn’t it?”

“It’s been a while, but I was one of her tutors back in school! Your family used to travel a lot back then, so I often went along as a member of the staff. I recognized you pretty quickly because you had the same bags they had. Your mom also has the same mole under her eye.”

Hyunjin sat back in shock. At home, they had rarely talked about Aunt Yeji. Aunt Jihyo had been mentioned many times as a model member of the family, being able to handle her work, as well as a boisterous family, easily.

“The Hwang family was very well known for their craftsmanship back when I was still in the larger towns, but I haven’t heard much of the name here in Yellowood,” Bambam mentioned, “Yeji was the one who brought Channie into town with her.”

Chris laughed, “Her family told her to come here to support the family business, just like they did to Hyunjin. Back then, I was a few years older than her and close to the family, so they sent me and another one of her older sisters along to make sure she finished her work instead of wandering off to explore.” He sighed loudly, “One day, we went out to explore - Yeji was never one for just sitting down and doing work, you see - and met a few witches in the street. Yeji and I learned a lot about magic and spellcasting, we met people who grew to be our best friends, all that good stuff! That’s around the time I met Minho and the rest of the boys. That’s also when I learned about vampires, which I _thought_ would be a good thing… _until_ …” Chris leaned forward.

“I was viciously _bitten_ -”

Changbin let out a low gasp, placing his hands behind his head.

“What-What happened if you don’t mind me asking?” Hyunjin asked eagerly from his seat, placing a piece of apple pie onto his plate.

“Channie, we _talked_ about this!” Bambam whined from beside Chris, causing the other to fall into a fit of laughter.

“H-he-” Chris struggled to speak between laughs, “When he kissed me for the first time he got too excited and - and his fangs came out and punctured my lip. That’s - _cough-_ That’s how I got turned into a vampire.” 

“It was an accident!” Bambam whined louder, “Stop making fun of me!” 

Bambam held his head on the table, complaining loudly. “I told him it was an accident and he said it was _fine_ but he _continues_ to make jokes about it as if he was mad when it happened! This is why people are scared of me, Channie!” 

“Wow, I almost forgot you two were vampires,” Changbin mumbled, food still stuffed into his mouth.

“Now that he mentions it, Chris! Do you have fangs too?” Hyunjin bounced off of Changbin, looking towards the blonde eagerly.

“Fangs? Why yes I do! Since I’m only half-vampire I have more control over when they show. Bambam's fangs come out every night, whether he wants them to or not.” He explained, motioning to his husband.

“Huh, so not all vampires show that they are, in fact, vampires,” Changbin concluded, leaning back into his chair.

Hyunjin opened his eyes wide, “Changbin, they gave us _food._ ” He persuaded, not wanting the already untrusting boy to get any more doubtful.

“No, no, we understand,” Bambam intervened, “I’ve been living here in this town for a few hundred years now, and you have all the reason to be untrusting of vampires. I’m not too sure about other towns, but the vampires here in Yellowood aren’t… the best. There’s a few you can trust and others who refuse to let their identity be shown, but even _I_ have to be careful.”

Changbin sank further down into his chair, angrily taking another bite of meat.

“Well, we’ve been avoiding the subject long enough, I believe it’s time you tell us what you’re here for, Hyunjin,” Chris offered.

Hyunjin sat up straighter, shaking his hair out of his eyes. “Of course! We were sent here by someone named Seungmin. He said you two can help us find our friends. They seem to be in trouble and - Did I say something wrong?” 

“We haven’t heard from Seungmin in a while,” Bambam finally spoke after a small moment of silence, an unreadable expression on his face. 

Chris and Bambam stared at the younger, a sad expression on their faces. “Seungmin, you say…” Chris whispered, “Go on. Tell us everything.”

Hyunjin cleared his throat, going on to explain how they ended up back at the mansion, how two members of their group were injured, and what Seungmin had said to them before about the strange energies in the town. Changbin helped him along, filling in the blanks from their time in the town.

The couple had a worried look plastered on their faces, Chris frequently biting his lip while his husband placed on arm comfortingly across his back.

“So… our Seungmin... he’s still out there...” Chan murmured, eyes shifting nervously across the floor.

“If it’s any help, we might be able to bring them back. I’m not too sure how, or with whom if we aren’t able to get Minho and Jeongin back… but I made a promise, and I’ll be sure to keep it.”

Changbin grabbed at Hyunjin’s arm, whispering to the younger nervously, “Are you sure we’ll actually be able to bring them back? What if Minho was lying that night…” 

A rush of goosebumps suddenly took over. If Minho hadn’t been himself this entire time, were they really able to believe in what he said?

“We have to try,” Hyunjin decided, determination lacing his voice. Changbin nodded in acceptance, moving back into his own chair.

“Oh, there’s one more thing,” Hyunjin spoke up quietly, “Seungmin wanted to tell you that he’s sorry, for everything. He didn’t explain much past that, though…”

Bambam sighed, looking to his husband with sorrow, “We have to help,” He spoke softly, his low voice almost a whisper, “If Seungmin is still out there, then… we have to get them back.”

“I-I don’t know…” Chris mumbled, “I don’t know if I can handle losing them again.”

Hyunjin shifted in his seat uncomfortably, looking to Changbin for reassurance. The older placed his fork back down onto the table, pushing his plate of food further away from him.

“Seungmin said the both of you were like his parents,” Changbin began. Hyunjin tensed up, afraid that it might be a touchy subject, but Changbin looked to him with a sympathetic look. _Trust me._

Chris let out a low hum, his eyes lifting off the floor to look at a small, black and white photo on the wall. “We found Seungmin on the outskirts of our town when he was around 8 years old,” He began to explain, “Apparently, he belonged to a very wealthy family in the large town down south, but when it was discovered that he was born out of wedlock, the rest of the family abandoned him here. Min told us that he came here with his grandparents to spend the night, but they were gone the next morning. He didn’t know how to get home, so he just wandered around the forest until he found us here.”

Hyunjin’s eyes softened, and he held the fabric of his jacket tightly. “I-I see-” 

“He’s a nice guy,” Changbin mumbled, “We didn’t get to talk for too long but he seemed fairly level-headed. Really friendly, helpful… he cares about his friends a lot too.”

Chris and Bambam nodded along, looking to Changbin with a regretful expression.

“I’m not going to be too optimistic like Hyunjin here,” the older continued, “I don’t know if we can actually bring them back. We don’t even know if Minho was telling the truth before since it turns out he was possessed. All we have is the small sliver of hope that maybe, just _maybe_ , Minho was telling the truth and knows a way we can bring the ghosts back to their regular bodies. If you don’t want to help us along the rest of this ‘quest’, then I won’t force you to. We just need your help to find Minho and Jeongin.”

Changbin had an icy look in his eyes. Focused, but not uncaring. “If we manage to bring Seungmin and his friends back, we’ll tell you, but whether you want to be there with us through the whole experience is completely up to the both of you.”

Bambam hummed, nodding his head in acknowledgment. “I’ll join you,” He declared without hesitation.

Chris looked to him in confusion, “What? You heard them, there’s a possibility that there really is no way to bring them back. What if we lose them again? Are you ready to go through that one more time?”

“There’s hope, Channie. If we do end up bringing them back, then we’ll have our Seungmin with us again. If we don’t, then at least we’ll have tried. It’ll just hurt more knowing that we did nothing when given an opportunity, won’t it?”

The vampire ran a hand through Chris’s bright white hair, giving him a small smile.

Chris gave in, letting out a shallow breath. “If you’re going, then I’m going too.”

Hyunjin gave both of them a thankful smile, the grip on his jacket beginning to loosen.

Changbin brought his chair forward, his icy look replaced by a hesitant smile. “How will you be able to help us, again? You mentioned you learned some spells a few… decades… back. Is that it?”

The white-haired vampire sniffled quietly. “Yes, Bambam and I are actually a search team for the witches here in Yellowood. Usually, we use my location magic to find things like specific herbs or a type of tree, but witches come to us asking to find people as well. If I’ve met the person before, then I’m able to track down their energy and find their location. When the situation calls for it, Bambam can use his displacement magic to bring that item to us. That must be what... Seungmin was talking about.”

Hyunjin had his mouth open in awe. “Wow, that’s a lot more helpful than I’d have imagined.”

Changbin nodded along, arms crossed. “So, can you help us find my little brother?”

“No, I won’t be able to find him since we’ve never met…” Chris shook his head lightly but picked his head back up when an idea came to mind. “I _can_ find Minho, though, and I’d assume that they’re together, wherever they are.”

The vampire shut his eyes and stilled at the table, completely unmoving.

“W-What’s he doing?” Changbin stuttered, staring at the vampire.

“This is going to take a minute…” Bambam said, picking up an apple from the side of the table. “Is there anything else you can tell me about Seungmin? How is he doing over there?”

Changbin nudged Hyunjin’s shoulder, urging the younger to speak. “He’s doing pretty well! Um, they seem to have some kind of pent-up anger about something that happened, and Seungmin is the only one who has fully come to terms with it. At least, that’s what I gather. Felix is another ghost in the manor that’s been fairly kind to us, but he pulls a lot of pranks. He seems pretty out of it, to say the least, but he was very kind after we spoke.”

Hyunjin hesitated, not sure if he should mention the state of the last ghost or not, but of course…

“And what about Jisung? It’s been a long time since I’ve heard from him,” Bambam asked innocently.

“His name is Jisung?” Changbin asked, and he leaned forward. “As in, Han Jisung?”

Bambam made an ‘o’ shape with his mouth, nodding. “How do you know his name?”

“Minho mentioned it a few times. I probably wasn’t supposed to be there to hear it, though,” Changbin shifted his weight, looking around the room. “When is he going to wake up again?”

“It’ll take longer if they’re further away. He’s usually back within a few minutes if they’re still in town,” The vampire answered.

“...Do you know how the magic works?” Hyunjin asked.

Bambam thought for a moment, then shook his head. “Since I don’t practice this type of location magic, I’m not entirely sure how it works. All I know is that he has to have met the person before, and then he tracks their energy from that. It’s weird stuff.”

“Yeah,” Hyunjin laughed, “Because being able to move entire houses is more normal.”

“Well, that’s because it is!” Bambam defended, and Hyunjin squinted his eyes in confusion. “Magic that is able to control another person or find their energy is highly frowned upon in the witch community. My own magic, for example, doesn’t let me move other humans, only objects. Of course, the only objection to that is if the human is _inside_ the object, like this house here”

“So what other types of magic are there?” The youngest asked curiously.

“Too many, if you ask me. Every witch starts off learning about the magical properties of herbs and such, but then they branch off into different types of magic so that no two witches are the same. Even if an apprentice learns the same type of magic as their teacher, they can find different ways to perform the spells. When I first started learning magic, my teacher found out that I had psychokinesis, so my displacement magic is branched off of that. There’s also magic using the 4 elements, some more advanced healing magic, and soul magic. Chan learned his soul magic from his teacher, and a part of that is being able to read the energy of different people, so what he practices now must have branched off from that.”

“Seungmin mentioned something about reading people’s energies… Does he know soul magic too?”

Bambam groaned, “Chan must have taught it to him. As invasive as it is, it can help a lot in certain situations, especially when meeting new people. Last time he was here, he was able to tell if someone was lying or not.”

“Oh, so maybe that’s why-”

Hyunjin was cut off when Chris suddenly opened his eyes with a shout.

“Why are your friends in the middle of Lake Miro!?”

Changbin sputtered, “Yeah, Hyunjin, why the fuck _are_ our friends in the middle of Lake Miro?”

“Why are you looking at me? I just got here! Why would I know anything about Lake Miro?”

“Ok, all of you! Let’s just sit down, figure out how to reach your friends who are in the middle of Lake Miro, and go save them.”

As quickly as it started, the chaos died back down.

Hyunjin took a deep breath, holding a hand to his chest. “So. Our friends are in the middle of Lake Miro.”

“Yeah, we already established that Hyunjin,” Changbin huffed.

“But why? And how? For how long?” Hyunjin’s head was filled with questions, but he was only met with blank stares.

Chan was the first to speak up. “All I know is that they are, in fact, in the middle of Lake Miro, and also that they’re on a boat.” The vampire sat back down in his seat, “Minho’s energy was definitely off, though. They’re pretty close by, but it took me longer to find his because his energy was just so… different.”

“That means whatever Seungmin was saying back in the manor was true!” Changbin realized, “This is the second person who said his energy was messed up!”

Hyunjin hummed nervously. “What are we going to do…? How can we reach the middle of the lake if even regular boats aren’t allowed too far in?”

“What?” Changbin gave him a quizzical look, “What do you mean? Don’t tell me there’s something supernatural about Lake Miro too-”

“The reason Minho has been acting so off must have something to do with the lake!”

“Wait - Can someone explain to me what’s wrong with the-”

“That must be it! But how would the creature in the lake be able to possess someone? It would have to have magical abilities, just like Chan and I do.”

“Creature? Can someone _please_ explain to me what the fuck is going on-”

“Maybe it isn’t a creature in that lake, it might be a magic spell or something similar. Chris! You learned dark magic, right? Is there any spell that might be able to possess someone?”

“Hyunjin, please, you have to help me out here-!”

“I’m not too educated on these types of spells, but I know someone in the town who is! Hyunjin, Changbin, sweetheart, gather your things, we’re going on a quick trip into town!”

Chan, Bambam, and Hyunjin all stood up with a new-found motivation, leaving Changbin to scramble up behind them.   
  
  
  
  


Changbin ran to catch up to Hyunjin, grabbing at the edge of his jacket.

“What. Is wrong. With the lake?!” He hissed out between pants.

“Oh, I thought you knew, sorry!” Hyunjin apologized quickly, ignoring the glare Changbin gave him, “There’s something wrong with the lake and it’s been killing a lot of the fish nearby. Apparently, a lot of the boats also come back damaged if they go out too far. We’re thinking that maybe, there’s a spell put on the lake that’s either there to protect something or cause direct damage, but we aren’t too sure…”

Changbin shivered, shoving his hands into his pockets, “And how are you going to be able to do anything with that arm of yours? It must have healed quite a bit over the past few days, but there’s still… a hole in it.”

The younger looked down to his arm, the wound still covered in bandages. “I’ll make do,” He decided, “That thing in the lake uses magic, so we’ll have to rely on the witches in town to do something about it.”

“So you’re actually trusting these witches? The vampires too?” 

Hyunjin slowed his pace, looking forward at Chan and Bambam, who were leading their group out of the forest. Chan’s translucent pale skin directly contrasted with Bambam's dark tan. The two of them held hands as they walked, making the difference even more apparent, even in the shade of the forest. Bambam said something that made Chan laugh lightly, and Hyunjin felt a smile spread across his face.

“How can you not?”

He heard Changbin sigh loudly, and he looked to the older with a confused expression.

“I just-” The older hesitated, “I just want to have someone close to me too. Both of them are vampires, and I still don’t like them, but they look happy. I want that too…”

Hyunjin scoffed, turning his back to look at the couple in front of them. “Sorry, I guess I just never took you as the romantic type.”

“I-I’m not! I’m really not,” Changbin sputtered, “I’m bad with words and I block off everyone I meet. That’s hardly romantic if you ask me.”

“You’re a good guy, Changbin. I’m sure you’ll find _someone_ ,” Hyunjin assured. “Hey, what was up with you and Felix back at the manor? You two were talking right before we left.”

Changbin froze up and laughed nervously, “Oh, that? I was just saying goodbye… He didn’t say anything back, though. He just stood there.”

“So you were flirting?” Hyunjin teased.

Changbin hit his back, “I was just saying bye! He’s a ghost, anyway. I’m not dumb enough to fall for a _ghost._ ”

“Hey! Just because he’s a ghost doesn’t mean he doesn’t have feelings!” Hyunjin pouted, “There’s nothing wrong with falling in love with a ghost.”

Changbin laughed, “Ha! You’re just saying that because you like Seungmin, and he’s a ghost.”

Hyunjin gasped, his ears turning red, “When did I say _that!?_ I do not… _like…_ Seungmin. Where’d you get that idea anyway?”

“You told him you’d come back and help him out. Now, I don’t know about you, but any normal, not lovestruck human being would take that as a chance to run and get the hell out of there. You are too far gone, Hyunjin.”

Hyunjin huffed, turning away from Changbin.

“You let him cut your hair, too. That’s pretty romantic.”

The younger felt his heart skip a beat, and blood rushed to his ears. “He- I- Shut up!” 

Changbin laughed as Hyunjin quickened his pace, nearly running to catch up with the vampires. They had already reached the edge of the forest, and the moonlight illuminated the wide street entering Yellowood.

“Changbin, Hyunjin, come here,” Chan called out, gesturing to the two younger boys, “Stay close to our sides once we get into town, and don’t wander off. I’m sure you two know that these streets are filled with vampires when it gets dark.”

Changbin and Hyunjin skipped forward, walking between the two vampires. They passed the thrift store that the humans had been in just a few days prior, and Hyunjin relaxed at the familiar sight.

“Do you two know Olivia?” Hyunjin asked the vampires.

Chan nodded, looking back to the small shop, “She’s a friend of a friend, you can say.”

“Then… Does she also have magic?” 

Chan thought for a moment, his expression twisting. “I would expect her to, knowing who her friends are, but I’ve never seen her use any magic.”

“Oh… who are her friends, then?”

“She’s close friends with a couple over in the east fields. They used to be well known for their use of magic in terms of cultivating plants with magical properties. I haven’t heard from them in a _very_ long time, and their fields are covered in those strange white flowers, so I assume they simply moved away.”

Bambam hummed in confirmation, “Her other friend, Gowon, hasn’t seen them in a while either. I heard her and the Fruit couple talking about it a while back.”

Hyunjin grew confused, “Fruit couple?”

Chan let out a small laugh, “It’s what both of us started calling Yerim and Hyunjin since they started up the fruit stall. They’ve been calling us the vampire couple since we started dating, so we’re even.”

“Ah,” Hyunjin laughed, “So the both of you have known each other for a long time, then?”

“Yerim and Hyunjin moved to this town around the same time I did,” Bambam explained, “They were little kids back then. There was a large number of people drawn to this small town at the time because of the discovery of the mines, you see. They went to school together, started dating, got married, all that stuff. Then, Channie came along around… 1809? 1810? I’m not too sure anymore. The day he finally came out from his apartment with Yeji is when we all met.”

“And what happened with Aunt Yeji? She is still alive, right?” Hyunjin bit his lip, looking up to the vampire worriedly.

“Don’t worry, she’s probably doing just fine. She moved out of town a few years later to pursue her own interests in a school of arts. She sent us a few letters afterward, with the last one saying she was moving away to a different continent after she was given an opportunity to perform. We haven’t heard much from Yeji since, but she’s probably much happier now that she’s not stuck doing something she doesn’t like.”

Suddenly, Hyunjin began to understand why his family didn’t talk about Aunt Yeji very much. It was expected that each child of the family continues the family business. Hyunjin didn’t mind too much. He loved working on jewelry, and he loved seeing other people wear his creations, but he never thought of doing anything different.

Bambam looked closer at Hyunjin, using a finger to move some of the boy's hair away from his ear.

“Who did you get these earrings from?” The vampire asked.

Hyunjin tensed up, reaching a hand up to touch the yellow opals that meant so much to him. “They were given to me by my mother, why?”

Bambam smiled, “It's a yellow opal, right? Yeji had a necklace with the same stone.”

Goosebumps ran up Hyunjin’s arm. He reached up to one of his earrings, trying to take it off of his ear, but it pained him to even lift his left arm. 

Changbin ran up behind Hyunjin, patting the younger on the back. “You feeling ok? Your face got a bit pale there, Hyunjin. Getting scared~?” 

Hyunjin scoffed, shaking any negative thoughts out of his head, “Me? Scared? Impossible. I’m just tired!”

Changbin huffed in agreement. “The sun must have gone down an hour or two ago, but it’s _winter_. The sun just goes down early this time of year. It’s probably still mid-evening.”

Hyunjin let out a fake yawn, earning a soulless chuckle from the older. 

Chan stopped in front of a small shop in the Main Hall. Hyunjin recognized it as Yerim’s fruit shop, the place he and Minho had visited on his first day in the town. “Isn’t this Yerim’s stall?” He asked, “How is _fruit_ going to help us?”

Chan laughed lightly, taking a second to knock on the door of the building right next to the fruit stall. “Haven’t you noticed? Yerim and her wife are witches.”

The door opened abruptly to Yerim, fully dressed, and wearing a small satchel. “It’s about time you guys came! My wife has been complaining about ‘the energy’ for the past few _hours_. Gowon’s here too so make sure you go say hi to her!” She turned her gaze to Hyunjin and Changbin, who were frozen in front of the witch. Her eyes were glowing with a soft purple light, and Hyunjin recognized the small ring around her eye. It was the same shape he saw in Minho’s eyes before the older passed out.

“Come on in!” She chirped, “We have a _lot_ to plan out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen i know this chapter was a lot of sitting and talking but my boys needed to EAT there's no way someone could survive off of just fruits and still fight evil spirits  
> but we got seungmins backstory!! and bamchan backstory!! hyunjins mental state taking a dive !! why does minho sometimes mumble about jisung when he thinks nobody is listening ?? some explanation abt the witches and their magic bc its sort of a lot !! we also found out where minho and jeongin are lol uh oh
> 
> up next: i know it seems like it but i SWEAR this isn't a hyunbin fic they r just bros that care a lot abt each other
> 
> (7-12) edit // to change some chapter titles and actually make a clearer relation to the chapter


	9. the question of strength

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> short tw // drowning beginning and ending with these --

Hyunjin and Changbin were led up to the second floor of Yerim’s small, cozy apartment. The staircase was steep and uneven, leaving Hyunjin staring at his feet as he measured every step.

Chris and Bambam were sitting on the floor in concern when Hyunjin finally reached the top of the stairs, two unfamiliar faces sitting along with them. One woman wore a deep red dress, complete with frills and satin outer fabric. Her hair was a dark brown and ran down past her shoulders, just like Yerim, but her eyes were sharp and her stature intimidating. 

Next to her sat a smaller woman, her dress a light gray with light blue flowers embroidered into the layered skirt. Her hair was a bright blonde, nearly blending in with her stark white skin. She looked kinder than the woman next to her, but something about the small smile on her face made Hyunjin take a step back.

The younger boy sat next to Bambam, throwing his coattails back and making space for Changbin, who stuck nervously to his side.

“So, how much do you know?” The intimidating girl asked, looking directly towards Hyunjin.

“M-Me?” Hyunjin stuttered, looking at the other people sitting around him.

“Yes, you,” The woman sighed, “How much do you know about Minho?”

“Um, not much… I’ve only known him for a few days-”

“Did you know he was being possessed at all? Did he show any signs of being possessed, perhaps?”

Hyunjin choked. _How did she already know about all of this?_ “N-Not that I know of! We only learned that there was something off about him this afternoon, but I didn’t think he was _possessed_ -”

“How about you, the man in the thick black coat? What do you have to do with any of this?”

Changbin stiffened, “I-I just own the bakery down the street! Minho works with me, but I would have never thought that he was possessed…”

“These two are worthless, then! They don’t even have any magic, why are they here?”

Yerim and Chan began to explain why Hyunjin and Changbin were there to the girl, the blonde watching on with the same knowing smile. Bambam leaned over to the duo, bringing up a hand to whisper.

“The scary one’s name in Hyunjin, she’s Yerim’s wife! She’s a lot nicer when she isn’t stressed, I promise,” He looked over his shoulder to glance at the blonde, “The one smiling is Gowon. I’d say be careful around her, but she won’t do any harm to the both of you.”

The duo nodded in fear, turning back to the rest of the conversation.

“They may be new to this, but they’re the only connection we have back to Seungmin at the moment. You know we can’t go into that manor, Hyunjin. We almost died the last time…” Yerim was explaining calmly, resting her hands on her wife’s hands.

The woman sighed, leaning her head back in distress, “I know, I know… if that kid could just _listen_ for one _second_ …” Her eyes opened wide, and she looked towards Gowon, “There must be something bigger happening. Jisung can’t be _that_ much of an unforgiving idiot.”

Gowon nodded slowly, her chirpy voice breaking the tense atmosphere of the room. “They may be ghosts, but there’s a pattern within them. The last time we visited the manor, I noticed that the more violent a ghost was, the stronger their energy became. The ghost that tried to kill us was extremely violent, but his energy wasn’t even his own… I could still feel a hint of Felix and Seungmin’s aura’s upstairs but Jisung wasn’t himself in the slightest.”

Hyunjin nodded, his head falling to one side. Gowon continued, “Minho and Jeongin are in the very middle of the lake. Minho is possessed - has been for a few decades - and I have reason to believe that Jeongin is as well. Of course, since it’s only been a few hours, Jeongin’s possessor isn’t able to take over completely. If we reach them quickly enough, Hyunjin can just… remove the parasite. Minho might take a bit of convincing though.”

Changbin’s gaze fell to the floor, “My brother’s… possessed?”

Gowon let out a small, “Oooh…”, looking at her friends with a sad expression.

“...We’ll try our best to get your brother back!” Yerim comforted, but Changbin lay his head on Hyunjin’s shoulder in defeat, his eyes unfocused.

The young boy put his arm around the older, hoping that it would help him relax. “How can we reach them?”

Hyunjin thought for a moment, her hand pushing her hair away from her face, “We _can_ ask one of the fishermen for a boat, but they’re pretty thrown off by what happened and I don’t think any of them want to go back out onto the lake…” 

Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Hyunjin’s head, the boy sitting up straighter. “I might know someone who can give us a ride out! A week or so ago, Minho and I ran into the guy named Kevin-”

“Damn it, that’s right! Kevin!” Hyunjin let out a shout, “Kevin won’t let me on his dumb fucking boat, but he’ll let the regular people and maybe Bambam go out there!”

“What do you mean by regular people…?” Hyunjin asked.

“Ah,” She looked towards him with a grin, “That just means that you don’t have any magical energy, or just that you aren’t a witch. Bambam just has psychokinesis so I don’t count him as a witch, and Kevin probably won’t either.”

“Hey, I am a witch! I can use magic-” Bambam argued from next to Hyunjin.

“No! You don’t even know your basic medicine spells! You’re just psychokinetic! Get over it!”

Chan pet his husband’s hand in understanding, the older vampire pursing his lips to hold back anger.

“Hyunjin, Changbin, and Bambam need to go out on the boat, then. The rest of us will probably have to stay by the shore,” Gowon explained, “Once you reach them, try to figure out what’s going on. Minho has some control over water so make sure you’re careful. If his possessor knows how to take control of Minho’s magic, he’ll be able to flip the boat over.”

The young boy stiffened. “We have to go out _there_? Into the lake when it’s still _dark_?” He turned to Bambam and Chan, “Minho can control _water_?!”

“Yeah, he’s not very good at it though,” Yerim explained, “He’s pretty good with his earth magic and used to have a garden behind the little hotel, but he eventually began learning water magic because he thought it would be ‘cute’ or something.”

Hyunjin held a hand to her forehead, visibly stressed, “Imagine how cheesy you have to be to learn an entirely new type of magic just to twin with your lover. It makes me mad just thinking about it.”

“Huh? Lover?” Hyunjin narrowed his eyes at the girls, and Changbin made a noise of surprise.

Chan sighed, “Let’s not dwell on the past. We need to find Kevin and get these boys out to Minho.”

The girls nodded, already heading outside, the vampires following close behind. 

Changbin whined as he stood up from the floor, already comfortable and resting his head on Hyunjin’s shoulder. “Are we really doing this?” The older asked, holding a hand out to Hyunjin as he struggled to get up from the floor, his foot slipping on a part of his long overcoat.

“We have to, Changbin. I don’t exactly want to go into a haunted lake in the middle of the night either, but…” He shrugged, his nervous expression turning into a smirk.

“Hey, are you guys coming along?” Chan peeked through the door into the small room.

“Yeah, we’re coming!” Hyunjin assured, looking at Changbin with a determined smile.

Changbin stared at Hyunjin as the younger led him to the stairs, holding him lightly by his fingers. As they stepped outside, the younger's eyes glistened in the light of the moon, his proud expression never leaving his face. Changbin found himself smiling warmly, and he clutched the younger’s hand tightly, following alongside him as their group ran towards the port.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Hyunjin was out of breath when they finally reached the end of the port, Yerim leading them to one of the small stalls.

“Kevin!” She yelled out, “I know you’re in there somewhere, we need your help!”

A tired-looking boy with dark red hair opened the door slowly. “Hyunjin? What do you need Kevin for?”

“Sunwoo, move! We need Kevin’s dumb sailboat.”

Another face popped up behind the boy. “I didn’t know we were bringing people over, Sunwoo. What’s the occasion?”

Sunwoo groaned loudly, turning to face the blonde, “We aren’t bringing anyone over, Chanhee, I don’t even know who half these people are. Is Kevin home?”

The blonde, Chanhee, shrugged. “He might be back in his room, he might be out on the lake… The man is unpredictable.” He took one last look at the group standing at the door before walking off.

“Tch, this whole team is a mess. Why did you need Kevin’s boat anyway?”

Yerim looked out onto the lake, “It’s about the ‘creature’ in the lake. We might’ve figured out what it is so we need Kevin’s boat to go and check it out.”

“Kevin is _never_ going to let you use the boat. You know he has a thing against witches!” Sunwoo scoffed.

“We have some non-witches here that we want to send out there. We’ll stay back onshore, we won’t even go close to the boat,” Yerim assured.

Sunwoo looked over the rest of the people in the group, nodding his head slowly. 

“Fine, I’ll go check if he’s in back,” Sunwoo agreed, “If he isn’t in the back, he’s probably already out on the lake.”

Yerim nodded in agreement, looking to her friends with a satisfied smile.

Sunwoo ran out of view, calling Kevin’s name and asking the other boys in the large stall. There was a loud crash of pots and pans, and a series of yells. A few minutes later, Sunwoo and Kevin came back from the back of the stall. Kevin had deep bags under his eyes, and his hair was messy and sticking out in different directions.

“Sorry about the noise!” Sunwoo laughed, “He was sleeping.”

Kevin grumbled in response, glaring at Yerim. “What’s this about the creature in the lake?”

“We might have figured out what it is, Kevin. Can you and a few people from our group go out there and check?” Yerim explained.

“You know I don’t give rides to-”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. No witches,” Yerim scoffed, “We have two regular humans here, and a vampire with psychokinesis.”

Kevin nodded, looking to Hyunjin and Changbin, who had raised their hands for identification.

“Ah, you’re the guy Minho was walking with a few days ago!” Kevin whispered in surprise.

Hyunjin nodded, “Can you please take us out into the middle of the lake?”

“Sure!” Kevin agreed without hesitation. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


Not much later, the group was dragging a large sailboat out into the lake. 

“Hyunjin and Changbin, go sit in the backside of the boat. Bambam, you sit in front so that you can get this lantern going and guide me along.” 

The sailor ordered the group around confidently, setting up an array of ropes and pulleys inside the boat that Hyunjin couldn’t seem to wrap his head around. 

“Remember, boys,” Kim Hyunjin yelled out to them, picking up the sides of her dress to step closer to the edge of the port, “We’ll be right here onshore. If it turns out that not-Minho _is_ able to use his water magic, turn back as quickly as possible.”

The younger boy nodded, walking to the back of the sailboat and taking a seat next to Changbin. 

Hyunjin shifted in his seat, looking out into the dark abyss of the lake. The light of the port only reached so far into the lake, and beyond their reach, they would find Minho and Jeongin. 

“Alright, let’s go!” Kevin shouted, pulling down the masts of the sailboat and sending the small group out into the lake.

The water rushed against the sides of the boat, and in just a few seconds Hyunjin grew more scared than he’d ever been before. He was barely able to see a few feet in front of him, and the sound of moving water was the only thing he could focus on.

He felt a pat on his back, but his eyes remained unfocused, only looking forward into the darkness.

“Hey, you feeling ok?” Changbin asked, “You seemed pretty confident just a few minutes ago.”

Hyunjin let out a shaky breath, his fists grabbing onto the seat tightly. “I-I’m fine, don’t worry.”

A flicker of light appeared at the front of the boat, and the lantern cast a dim light across the boat. Bambam held it up high at the front of the boat, looking out across the restless water for any sign of another boat.

“Is it seasickness or are you just afraid of the water?” Changbin asked, wrapping an arm around the younger's shoulders.

“It might be both,” The younger laughed nervously, “I know we have to get Jeongin and Minho back but…” He trailed off, knuckles turning white as he gripped the seat, "Nevermind. I'll get through it."

Changbin pulled the younger closer, patting his hard on the back. “You’ll be okay,” He comforted, “I’m scared too, but we have Kevin and Bambam here to help us out! Chan and the girls are back at the port, so if anything goes wrong, they’ll come to help us out.”

Hyunjin let out another sharp breath, hitting his cheek lightly. He picked at the bandages on his arm, the fabric already beginning to rip and tear apart. “I-I’m not scared... I just-”

“I see a boat!” Bambam called out, “They’re pretty far away on our right, but we should be able to reach them quickly.”

Kevin pulled a rope and the masts swung heavily. The boat changed directions, going off to the right. “Is this far enough?” 

Bambam nodded in reply, squinting his eyes in the direction of the other boat. “I think I see a person on the boat, but he’s just… standing there. It’s really off-putting.”

“Let’s try and get a bit closer, then!” Kevin decided, the cold wind pushing the boat further out.

Hyunjin shifted in his seat, trying to position himself so that the light of the moon could be used as a silhouette, but he still couldn't see anything. 

“Bambam, how do you see them out there?” He asked quietly.

“You can’t?” The vampire asked back, his head tilting to the side in confusion.

“Ah, vampire stuff?”

“Must be...”

The sailboat drew closer to the small canoe in the water, Kevin growing increasingly restless as the lantern lit up one side of the boat.

Hyunjin could see Minho standing there, his eyes shut tightly and a hand resting on something to his left.

“I-Is that Jeongin?” Changbin whispered, taking a closer look at the boat.

Kevin put the masts of the boat back into place, and the boat smoothly drifted to the canoe, knocking gently into the side of the smaller boat.

The sailor grabbed the sides of the canoe, keeping it close to the sailboat. Bambam stood by with the lantern, coming closer to shine it on the two people.

Minho stood like a statue in the middle of the canoe, his eyes shut softly. He lay his hand on top of Jeongin’s head, the younger leaning on the witch’s leg, his chest rising and falling slowly.

“Jeongin!” Changbin exclaimed, scrambling across the sailboat to reach the younger. 

“Changbin, wait!” Bambam called, but Changbin already had his brother in his arms, struggling to pull him onto the sailboat.

Hyunjin got up slowly from his seat, his legs shaking, trying to find balance on the swaying sailboat. “Is he okay?” He managed to ask.

Changbin made a confused noise, “He’s soaking wet. The water’s freezing, he’s going to get sick. His leg is probably still fractured too…”

He carried his brother to Hyunjin’s side of the boat, but just before he could make it to the other side of the boat, Jeongin began to wake up.

“L-Let go…” The younger growled, “Who are you? Let go of me!”

“Jeongin, it’s just me!” Changbin whispered, “Please, are you okay? Talk to me!” The younger continued to writhe in Changbin’s arms, struggling to stand.

Kevin drew the masts of the sailboat once again, leaving Minho on the canoe.

“What are you doing? We have to get him on the boat too!” Bambam shouted.

“No, we can’t,” Kevin replied, his voice low, “There’s something wrong here.” His voice shook as he looked at the deserted canoe. “I don’t want him on this boat.”

Jeongin’s eyes were firmly shut, squirming as Changbin held him close to his chest. “I-It hurts, let go!” Jeongin screamed, his expression shifting between pain and anger.

Hyunjin fell back onto his seat, gripping the wooden sides of the boat as he watched Minho slowly turn his head to the small sailboat.

“You couldn’t have waited just a few more minutes before coming here?” The man scowled, talking much slower than Minho ever would have. “It’s no fun if you end the game early. I guess I’ll have to find another way to bring you to the mercy of your own emotions.”

Hyunjin felt his hair stand up on his arms as the boy raised one arm into the air, his eyes opening to reveal a glowing red ring in his eyes.

“Everyone, hold on!” Bambam yelled, and Kevin held tight onto the mast.

Changbin nearly threw himself onto the seat next to Hyunjin, still wrapping his arms around his brother, holding his arms down. The younger was crying as he struggled, and Hyunjin saw small black veins climbing up the boy’s neck. He let go of the seat with his left arm, wrapping it around Changbin’s shoulders and keeping him down. 

The water rumbled beneath them. Hyunjin’s arm seared in pain as he held onto the wooden seat as tight as possible. 

“I can’t tell what he’s doing from this distance,” Bambam yelled over the sudden roar of water, “But hold on to the boat!”

Minho dropped his arm, followed by a loud rumble below them, and the silhouette of a massive wave in the distance, lit only by the light of the moon.

“H-Hey, that has to be fake, right?” Hyunjin felt his fingernails dig into the wood, and he stared into the distance with wide eyes.

“I don’t know,” Bambam answered, shutting his eyes tight. “I’ll try to send the boat back to shore, but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to find the energy in time… Even if the wave gets close, do not. Let. go.”

Kevin nodded, sitting down next to the mast of the boat, watching the wave grow closer with an unwavering expression.

Hyunjin felt Changbin shift next to him, and he found the older gripping the seat with only one arm holding down the arms of his brother. The younger had stopped screaming, but his struggle to break free continued.

“Bambam, he’s coming closer!” Kevin called from the mast, and Hyunjin whipped his head around. Minho had one foot on the edge of the canoe, the boat quickly coming closer. A spray of water hit Hyunjin’s face as the wave towered above them, and the base began to pick up the side of Minho’s canoe.

“Bambam!-” Hyunjin called out one last time before the witch dropped onto their small sailboat, using the height from the wave to get closer.

The mast of the boat made a clear snapping noise, and Hyunjin felt a surge of water fall over his head. The rush of the lake water soon became replaced with a nauseous feeling, one that made Hyunjin want to grab his head and double over in pain. He felt like he was floating, and suddenly, he was thrust back into reality.

  
  
  
  


\---

Hyunjin was in the water. He felt his head throb. His back hit cold, solid stone, and he reached a hand behind him to feel the cobblestone wall of the port side. 

The water was freezing, even worse than the snow he had felt on his skin just a few days prior. He struggled to swim up to air, but his jacket became heavy in the cold water. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t hear. 

His hands fiddled around the buttons of his jacket, but he wasn’t able to grab ahold of any of them. Water blocked his nose, forcing him to hold his breath even longer, and Hyunjin felt himself grow weak. 

A pair of arms grabbed at his waist, pulling him up to the surface.

A wave of pain, confusion, and fear all hit Hyunjin as he took a sharp breath of air. His arm burned in pain, his head felt like it was going to split, and it felt like he had been stabbed in the back with needles.

“-njin!” 

He heard a faint voice next to him.

“Hyunjin, can you hear me!?” 

The voice was frantic, and Hyunjin could feel himself being shaken.

He began to cough, the water in his lungs coming up painfully.

\---

“I-I’m fine,” He managed to wheeze, opening his eyes to the bright lights of the port.

He heard yelling, and the sound of moving water around them. Chan held him tightly as he climbed the ladder up to the dock, but Hyunjin’s body was numb from the cold. Pieces of the boat were scattered around them, and he saw Kevin swimming to shore with Bambam close behind him, both holding their jackets in their arms.

“Get me a jar!” He heard Hyunjin shout. She was holding Jeongin down onto the cobblestone, the younger still shouting and writhing in pain.

“Let me go, it hurts! It hurts, get me out!” Jeongin squirmed as the black veins on his neck began to spread closer to his face. He kicked his legs helplessly, scratching at Hyunjin’s arms.

He saw Changbin sitting next to the young boy, his torso completely drenched. His gaze was unfocused, and Hyunjin stumbled towards him when Chan reached the top of the ladder.

“Ch-Changbin,” He sputtered, his teeth chattering from the cold. Soreness took over his muscles as he reached the older, and the sound of yelling grew around him, but he couldn’t find the energy to focus.

He collapsed next to the older, shuffling closer for warmth. Changbin’s thick black jacket hung heavily over his shoulders, and Hyunjin grabbed at his arm. His head leaned softly onto the older’s shoulder, and the boy let out a shaky breath. It was almost comfortable.

“They haven’t found Minho yet,” The older mumbled.

“H-Huh?”

“Minho’s still in the water.”

Changbin picked his head up slightly to look to the lake, where Bambam and Kevin were slowly climbing out of the water. Chan ran to his husband worriedly, holding him close and leading him closer to a warm, fire-lit lantern. Kevin shook the water off of his jacket as he reached the top of the dock, his expression angry as he watched Sunwoo run out of the small stall with an empty jar.

“Sunwoo! Keep an eye on the lake! Minho’s still in there and he’s not safe to be around.” Kevin’s tone was demanding and exact, and a fire laced his voice.

“Roger that!” Sunwoo yelled back to him, handing the jar over the Hyunjin. She held the jar above Jeongin’s head, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. She let go of the boy, using her free hand to hit him across the head. Jeongin coughed out a puff of black smoke. Hyunjin caught it in the jar, tightening the lid and grabbing a paper from her pocket. A talisman.

Jeongin’s eyes closed, his chest heaving as he lay on the cold ground.

“He’ll be fine in just a few minutes, he needs to get used to being in control of his body again,” Hyunjin explained to Sunwoo, who was looking on in shock. 

Changbin kept staring into the darkness of the lake, his eyes analyzing every ripple in the water.

Hyunjin shivered, tugging himself closer. “What happened?” He asked, looking towards Yerim, who rushed to him. She held a hand up to his jacket, and small droplets of water began to separate from the fabric and fall onto the ground behind her.

“Not sure. One second we’re discussing the situation with my wife, Chris, and Gowon, and the next, your sailboat is crashing into the side of the pier. You completely flew out of the boat and hit the wall, are you feeling okay?” 

Hyunjin looked into Yerim’s worried eyes. “I’ll be fine, it’s probably just a bruise,” He looked down to his left arm, red already beginning to drip down his fingers. “I guess my arm is the same as it was before, though.”

Black spots clouded Hyunjin’s vision, and he knew he should be crying in pain, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t feel anything. 

Kevin came out from the stall, standing directly on the edge of the pier. 

“Get away from the water, Kevin!” Yerim called out behind her, following Hyunjin’s gaze.

“No! Minho’s in there somewhere…” Kevin shouted, “I don’t care if he’s possessed, we can’t let him die!” 

Hyunjin found himself staring at the boy’s pained expression. He seemed so… desperate. So sure of himself. Determined.

Cold water fell down the sides of Hyunjin’s face, his hair sticking to his head in different directions. _Will it be worth it?_ He thought, _It wouldn’t hurt to try._

Hyunjin’s heavy jacket was difficult to take off, the silk sleeves sticking to the cotton shirt. 

“Hyunjin, what are you doing? I still have to dry your clothes, you’ll get sick!” Yerim scolded him, but Hyunjin was already taking off his vest, watching the way his white cotton sleeves began to shift into a deep scarlet. 

He stood up, his vision becoming blurry, and he headed towards Kevin. The older was already taking off his shoes, his jacket laying next to the stall.

“Are you sure?” Kevin asked, his gaze lowering to Hyunjin’s arm. “...Can you swim?”

“No, but I can try.” Hyunjin stared down into the dark water of the lake, his tired reflection staring back at him. 

A chorus of yells started behind them, but Hyunjin blocked out the noise.

“The water’s pretty shallow here,” Kevin explained, “It’s around 3 or so meters, so if we swim around at the bottom, we’ll be sure to hit something…”

Hyunjin nodded, taking a deep breath. His fingers scratched at his earrings, the smooth opals slipping through his fingers. 

“You ready?” Kevin asked, his voice soft against the flurry of objections coming from the group behind them.

“I am.”

“On three. One. Two-”

Water rushed over Hyunjin, the cold stinging his skin and breaking his focus for a second. 

He felt a hand on his back, guiding him deeper into the frigid waters, the water growing colder as they dived. Kevin continued to hold his wrist when they reached the lake floor, both boys reaching out in hopes of finding a body.

Bile began to form in Hyunjin’s throat, and he coughed, his lungs burning painfully. Small bubbles of air hit his face as they rushed to the surface. He shut his eyes tighter, ignoring the pain in his throat, and the brush of sand against his shirt.

A soft fabric brushed against his arm, and Hyunjin pulled at Kevin’s hand. It was Minho. The silk lapels of the suit, the soft velvet material of the jacket… 

He grabbed at the witch’s arms, digging him out from the sand, which had settled around his body. The weight lessened as Kevin wrapped his arms around the boy. Placing his feet on the sand, he propelled himself back up to the surface, kicking furiously. He held onto Minho tightly, not loosening his grip until they broke the surface. 

Black dots scattered his vision and he searched for the ladder, but Kevin was already swimming towards it, dragging both Hyunjin and Minho behind him.

Hyunjin shook his head, his ears filled with the ice-cold water of the lake.

“Kevin, Hyunjin! Are you two dumb?!”

Yerim’s voice was the first thing he heard when his hearing became clearer, the sudden rush of sound overwhelming him. 

Chan began scolding him, Hyunjin and Gowon pointed at Minho in their arms, Sunwoo reached a hand out to Kevin, pulling the boy up the rest of the ladder. Yerim pulled both Minho and Hyunjin out from the water.

“I-Is Minho o-okay?” Hyunjin managed to ask through coughs.

Yerim winced, eyes wandering over the boy’s face, a deathly pale color. “He still has a pulse… I should be able to get the water out of his system if I’m careful.”

Hyunjin collapsed again, his legs giving out underneath him.

“Augh, Hyunjin, you-!” Yerim shouted, and Hyunjin flinched. She took a deep breath, putting her hands up above Minho’s chest. “Thank you. Thank you for saving him.”

Hyunjin tried to respond, but his head kept spinning. All he could let out was a quiet, “Yep,” before his eyes became unfocused again, and he suddenly became hyperaware of the pain in the back of his head. His ears were ringing. He felt nauseous. The world began to spin, only the foreground visible as everything behind it began to spin wildly.

Hyunjin shut his eyes, trying to focus on anything else, but his head was pounding, and his back was bruised, and his forearm felt like it was splitting open. Cold stone knocked against his shoulder and the world went dark.

  
  
  
  
  


When Hyunjin woke up again, he was in an unfamiliar place. There were pots and pans scattered along the walls, hanging loosely on fishing wires and bunches of rope. Fishing nets were drawn over the walls, fishing rods stuffed between the holes of the netting. The air was damp, and Hyunjin could sense the tension in the atmosphere as soon as he opened his eyes.

A hand rested lightly on his head as he woke up, patting his hair down and away from his eyes. “Ah, you’re finally awake,” A rough voice spoke from above him, and Hyunjin realized that he was laying his head on someone’s lap. He looked around the room, taking count of the people around him, and he assumed it was Changbin.

“Mmph,” Hyunjin mumbled, trying to pick his head up. Changbin pushed him back down.

“Stop trying to move, idiot. You’re concussed.”

_Oh, that explains it._

The boy allowed his head to rest freely on the older’s lap, the rest of his body laying flat across the floor. A jacket lay sprawled across his chest. His injured arm was wrapped up once again, but it was apparent that these weren’t medical bandages, just some cotton pads tied together with string. He almost laughed.

“Hyunjin, how are you feeling?” Bambam asked hesitantly.

“M’fine,” He giggled, but he could barely see a few inches in front of him.

“Yerim told me you said the same thing a few minutes before you passed out, are you sure?”

Hyunjin considered answering truthfully for a second. 

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

Leaning his head back in Changbin’s lap, he saw Jeongin. At least, he thought it was Jeongin. He was upside down in this position, and he could barely tell shapes apart in the darkness of the room.

“Is Jeongin ‘wake?” He slurred, squinting his eyes to see better.

“Yeah, Innie woke up a few minutes before you did,” Changbin answered.

“Innie?”

“It’s another one of my nicknames.” He heard Jeongin’s voice. It was slightly raspy, but undoubtedly him.

Hyunjin let out a noise of approval, pulling his head back into a normal position. “And Minmin?”

“Who the fuck is Minmin?” The words were harsh, but Changbin’s tone was soft.

“It’s Mingo!” Hyunjin giggled, and a heat seared behind his eyes, “Mingo… Minmin…” Hyunjin’s aloof smile turned into a frown. “Seungmin…” He sat up, pushing against the weight of Changbin’s arm pushing him back down. “We ‘ave to go back to… to the manor,” He decided, " _I_ ‘ave to.”

“We aren’t going anywhere until Minho wakes up,” Changbin scolded, “The girls tied him up in the other room just in case anything happens. They’ve also been arguing about something for the past few minutes, but I can’t make out what it’s about.”

With enough focus, Hyunjin was able to hear faint voices behind the door.

“Is Chris in ‘ere too?” Hyunjin asked.

“No, Channie’s in the other room with the girls. Something about needing his opinion as a user of soul magic.”

“...Does anyone know what they’re doing?”

Bambam made a low whistle, and he heard the man shuffle. “I think they’re deciding what to do with Minho,” He answered, “Hyunjin was able to get the demon out of Jeongin because he hadn’t been completely possessed. We got there just in time and managed to stop the process before it got too far. Minho, on the other, has been possessed for decades…”

“Decades, huh?” Changbin sighed, grabbing Hyunjin’s bobbing head and placing it back down onto his lap.

Hyunjin made a noise of surprise. 

“You’re going to feel worse if you keep your head upright like that,” Changbin answered, “Just lay down…”

A short laugh rang throughout the room - Jeongin - and the boy smiled endearingly.

The door to the open room creaked open loudly, and they were met with Sunwoo, who wore a worried look on his face.

“The girls have _finally_ come to a conclusion, but Yerim needs everyone to be in agreement before anything actually happens, so you all need to come inside and hear it out.”

Two more boys appeared from behind him, walking out of the room.

“These soul magic witches are freaky,” Chanhee cringed, “I’ll be happy with my mending magic, thank you very much.”

“I think it’s cool! Being able to possess people is great!”

“Changmin, no! It violates so many rules!”

The boy, Changmin, shrugged, the happy grin never fading.

“Ah, there are too many people in the room at the moment, so we’re leaving to make space for all of you,” Sunwoo explained, turning around one last time before leaving out the front door, “Kevin still going to be there to make sure you don’t mess anything up.”

Bambam stood up from his spot, placing his hands on his knees. “Alright, let’s go.”

The three younger boys stood up after him, Chanbgin urging Hyunjin to use the older as a pillar to lean on. Hyunjin obliged, but only after tripping over his own feet.

Crates and boxes lined the walls of the room they entered, making excellent seats, but the room was small, and Hyunjin was forced to sit on Changbins lap once again, his head resting against the wall behind them. Jeongin sat on the floor in front of the duo, his body placed comfortably between his brother’s legs. Bambam and the rest of the group sat in a sort of circle, everyone surrounding the person in the middle. Minho. His arms and legs were tied together, just as Changbin had said earlier.

It pained Hyunjin to see him like this, but his mind raced back to just a while back when they were out on the lake. Minho was a powerful witch, and a powerful witch possessed by an evil spirit at that. 

“So, what’s the plan?” Bambam asked, looking to the girls, then his husband.

“Well, we’ve decided that we have to use Gowon’s magic…” Yerim began, her tone hesitant and shy.

Bambam's eyes opened in surprise, but he didn’t speak up.

“When Hyunjin took the spirits out of Jeongin, we learned that these are actual beings,” She continued, “Jeongin was nearly possessed by Abel, a weaker angel, and we have reason to believe that it was to be used as a sacrifice since the angel spirit was put into the body unwillingly. The demons are actual beings, not just a spirit, so we can use another being to try and take over possession of the body… which is where Gowon comes in.”

She looked towards Gowon, the young girl wearing the same innocent smile on her face as before. 

“Possession isn’t _that_ bad~” She cooed, “It’ll be just for a minute. I’ll expel the demon and come back!”

Yerim sighed loudly, closing her eyes for a moment. “Gowon will attempt to possess Minho and overpower the demon that’s already controlling him. Once that demon is out, my wife will put him in one of the protected jars and Minho should wake up in a few minutes.”

“This seems like a good plan… why are you all so hesitant about it?” Jeongin asked, “I’m aware that taking control over someones else’s body is invasive, but he’s already being possessed anyway.”

Hyunjin shook her head, resting her hands on her knees. “Gowon’s possession isn’t just taking control of the person’s body… she’ll also have access to all of their memories and emotions, beliefs, anxieties… It’s much more invasive than just the physical part. Minho will be fine with it, I’m sure, but it’s still...”

Jeongin sucked in a breath.

“If it means bringing Minho back, I’ll accept it,” Bambam decided.

“Me too,” Changbin spoke softly, looking to the young boy on his right, “I’m sure Hyunjin does too, but I’m not sure he’s in a position to speak at the moment.” 

Hyunjin nodded in response, his eyes closing slowly.

“Just…” Kevin’s voice broke out from behind Hyunjin, the boy sitting in the darker corner of the room. “Just make sure he comes back, alright? He’s like a little brother to me.”

Gowon nodded, taking out a small jar filled with tiny, white petals, followed by a bottle of water.

“Oh, are those the candytufts?” Jeongin asked, and everyone’s attention switched to the jar.

“Yes, they are. How do you know about them?” 

“I learned about them while I was studying on my own! Hyunjin gave me a few books on… soul magic…” The younger trailed off as he began to realize: this was his first time mentioning his own witchcraft around his brother.

Yerim rolled her eyes, looking at her wife who wore a sly grin, but Hyunjin felt the older stiffen under him, shifting farther back on the crate.

“There’s a big field of candytufts over by the mines, that’s where Minho took me before I got… you know, possessed. There’s a little cottage there, too.”

“Hmm… The cottage…” Yerim wondered out loud, “We’ll have to talk about that once Minho wakes up. Gowon said he’ll get all his memories back when he wakes up again.”

Gowon smiled, looking to the younger with satisfaction. She dropped a few petals in the water. After shaking the bottle, the tiny petals dissolving completely.

Sitting on the floor beside Minho, she spilled the contents of the bottle over Minho’s forehead. 

“I should be back in a minute,” She informed, “I’m not sure which demon is possessing him now, but their spirit probably isn’t too strong if Minho’s still knocked out like this. A strong spirit can usually move their host, even if it’s a corpse.”

Yerim nodded, but her face scrunched up in disgust.

Gowon closed her eyes silently, sitting upright by Minho’s head, and the boy’s eye’s twitched.

The group fell into silence for a few seconds, and Hyunjin let himself doze off.  
  
  
  
  


When Gowon came into consciousness again, the room was filled with chatter.

Hyunjin immediately woke up, Kevin had nearly tripped over the boy on his way off the crates. Changbin’s head shot up and off of the crate behind them, the older having fallen asleep during the wait as well. 

The first words Gowon said when she came were, “Oh, well, that’s going to be interesting,” Which caused the chatter to grow louder.

Hyunjin was already holding the jar with several talismans slapped onto it haphazardly. A dark cloud of black smoke swirled around inside, periodically making clocking noises against the glass.

“So… Is Minho going to be okay?” Kevin asked, sitting next to the boy on the floor.

“Ehh,” Gowon responded, her head tilting to one side, “He’ll be fine eventually… It’s the memories of what he did while he was possessed that is a problem. I don’t think he’s going to take them too well.”

Yerim and Hyunjin looked at each other in worry, the couple glancing back at the boy. A cold chill ran over the room, and Kevin narrowed his eyes.

“...Is there something he did?” Kevin asked.

Hyunjin felt Changbin shuffle uncomfortably.

“No,” Chris answered firmly, “There isn’t.”

Bambam tugged at his sleeve and whispered something into his husband’s ear, but Chris shook his head and whispered back to him. 

Hyunjin was confused, even more so than before.

“How long will it be until he wakes up?” Jeongin’s tone was soft. Worried.

Gowon gave a polite smile, “Oh, not too-”

Coughs resounded throughout the room, and the small room was filled with yells once again.

Kevin held Minho’s back as the older struggled to sit up, his hands and legs still tied with a rope, which Chris was busy removing.

“How are you feeling?” Kevin hesitated. Minho didn’t answer. The boy hung his head low, bangs covering his eyes.

“Mingo?” Hyunjin slurred, lowering his head to look closer.

Minho let out a shaky breath, and Hyunjin noticed the dull tears that gathered at his chin. He sobered up.

As the tears began to hit the ground, Hyunjin tensed up. He’d never seen Minho cry. Minho _couldn’t_ cry… He was supposed to be the fearless, snarky, playboy of their group. He was brave. _He was supposed to be everything Hyunjin wanted to be._

Kevin ruffled his friend’s hair, patting him on the back. “Hey, you ok?” He tried to lighten the mood, putting on a weak smile.

“It was m-me…” Minho croaked out. His voice was hoarse. Tired.

“Huh? What are you talking about, Min?”

“I…” Minho shoulders shook, “This isn’t real. These aren’t mine-”

“What isn’t yours?” Chris leaned forward in his seat. 

Minho looked up to Chris, and the vampire’s expression darkened. “The memories, they- they can’t be mine. I wouldn’t-” He placed a hand to his head, holding it as he cried. 

“You knew about this all along, didn’t you?” He choked, “Why did you keep it from me?”

Hyunjin grabbed at Changbin’s hand, the older squeezing it until Hyunjin felt his fingers go numb.

“We were going to tell you, Minho, we just… Didn’t know how,” Bambam defended. 

“When?!” The boy nearly yelled, “I was supposed to _die_ today, did you know that? That was their plan! To kill me off and feed off the suffering of everyone else! Were you planning to tell me after I had already died? Was the last 30 years not enough time!?” 

Bambam paled, along with Chris and the girls next to him. Yerim turned away, wiping under her eyes.

The witch turned to Jeongin, and Hyunjin finally saw his painfully red-stained eyes. The eyes that carried the weight of unimaginable pain. 

“And I wasn’t the only one who was supposed to die today!” Minho forced out, “If I’d have just known about this before… We could’ve done something! Anything! Was it not enough that I… That the three of them...” He trailed off, biting at his lip. His breathing began to grow heavy, sobs wracking his frail body. “I really did kill them, didn’t I...?”

The tense silence in the room suffocated Hyunjin. He forgot about the throbbing pain in his head, his head filled with questions. 

“Minho,” Yerim comforted, putting a hand on the boys back, “It’s okay. It wasn’t you, you were possessed.” 

“You’re wrong,” Minho cried, “the last face they saw was mine. It was my fault.”

“Seungmin and Felix know that it wasn’t you, Minho,” Hyunjin mumbled from his seat. The older looked up to meet his eyes. “I talked to them for a bit. I think… I think they know it wasn’t you.”

“...And Jisung?”

Minho’s eyes began to water again, and Hyunjin made a pained noise. The younger looked to Yerim. The girl was pressing her lips together, looking away from Minho.

“Jisung will be fine,” Gowon spoke up, “I-I got some of the demon’s other memories. Cain’s, that is. We can bring them back. If we just go back to that manor before the spring solstice… we can bring them back.”

“Why the spring solstice?” Yerim asked.

“It’s because the spring solstice is a time of rebirth and renewal,” Jeongin answered, his voice distant. “Soul witches also use it as a time to cleanse out old spirits and return someone’s magic to their original pure form. You’re looking to cleanse the souls of the ghosts during the spring equinox, aren’t you?”

Gowon nodded, “The equinox is… when is it? What day is it today?”

“The equinox is next week,” Hyunjin answered, sliding her arm over her wife’s shoulders, “We can use that time to form some sort of plan, and…” She glanced down towards Minho, “get ourselves prepared.”

“Ok, then let’s meet all meet at Yerim’s again tomorrow.” Yerim decided.

Gowon shook her head. “Not all of us. I’ll need Jeongin and Kim Hyunjin since they also know soul magic. Changbin and the other Hyunjin don’t have any useful skills yet, so I’ll need Chris and Bambam to help teach them how to fight once it gets dark out. No offense to Yerim and Kevin, but I’d rather not let you two get hurt.”

“I’m not going anywhere if it’s not with my wife,” Hyunjin argued, “If I’m going, then she’s coming with.” 

Gowon blinked a few times, her gaze shifting between Yerim and her wife. “Fine, then. Both of you can teach Jeongin what you can about your own magic and hope he can replicate it in a week’s time.”

Jeongin made a noise of surprise. “W-Wait! There’s no way I’ll be able to learn both of their abilities in just a week I-I don’t-”

“Don’t underestimate yourself, Jeongin,” Minho muttered under his breath, “I’ve taught you for a long time. You’re stronger than you think you are.”

“M-Minho, but-”

“I know I wasn’t the best teacher, and I have so, so many regrets, but you really are the best student I could’ve asked for. You learned everything so quickly, Jeongin. You understood your magic better than I ever could’ve. I’m still not happy that you learned soul magic behind my back but…” Minho chuckled painfully, picking at the skin on his wrist, “With Hyunjin and Yerim’s teaching, you can become stronger than all of us.”

Jeongin nodded, letting out a shaky breath. Yerim’s wife gave the young boy a reassuring smile, and Yerim reluctantly gave a small nod of agreement.

“If all of you think so…” Jeongin decided, “I’ll try my best.”

Gowon breathed a sigh of relief and clapped her hands together. She stood up from the floor, drawing the attention of the people in the room. “So, if everything is settled, let’s all go home. I’ll meet everyone at the wheat fields tomorrow at sunrise. Before we start planning I have to make sure Minho is still able to use his own magic.”

With Gowon’s final words, the group said their farewells and filtered out through the small door. Hyunjin and Changbin were the last to leave. Changbin took some time making sure Hyunjin was securely leaning on his shoulder before either started walking, careful to make sure the younger didn’t fall and hit his head again.

They walked back to their hotel in silence. Jeongin and Minho were just a few steps ahead of them, Jeongin being carried on the olders back, and at either side of them were the vampires, making sure they made it home safely in the dark.

The two witches entered the hotel first, the rest of the group entering soon after. Minho and Jeongin were already off to light a fire in the hotel, and Hyunjin shivered as the cold, snowy, air seeped in. 

“Chris, Bambam, would you like to stay here for the week? We can give you the room Hyunjin was using.” Changbin offered, hoisting Hyunjin onto his back.

“We’d be very grateful,” Chris thanked, “but where will Hyunjin sleep?”

Changbin huffed. “He’ll be staying with me. Jeongin will probably go talk to Minho about their ‘witch stuff’ anyways.” 

Chris and Bambam looked at each other, then back to Changbin.

“I see… Is this room ready?” Bambam hesitated.

“Yeah, we cleaned it up before we left a week or so ago. The whole place should be heated back up by morning. It’ll be on the third floor, room 3C.”

“Thank you,” Chris thanked again, “Would you like us to wake you up at sunrise? Since we’re vampires we don’t exactly… sleep at night. We’ll join you all once the sun goes down.”

“I’m terrible at waking up and I can’t trust Hyunjin at the moment, so that would help a lot, thank you.” Changbin gave the vampires a weak smile, and the couple left to go to their room.

“Now, let’s get you up these stairs,” Changbin groaned, trudging up the staircase and heading to his room, dropping Hyunjin onto the couch. 

“Mmm, head hurts,” Hyunjin complained, “Ice?”

Changbin laughed, “You want ice? I’ll throw you outside. If I have to walk down another flight of stairs I’ll be a dead man.”

The boy flung himself onto the bed, grabbing a blanket and throwing it towards Hyunjin. 

“Get some sleep,” He advised, “We’re waking up in just a few hours.”

Hyunjin tossed the blanket over himself, but he still felt cold. The temperature inside the hotel wasn’t any better than it was outside.

“Changbin!” Hyunjin yelled.

The older turned over in the bed, glaring at Hyunjin. “What?” He snapped.

“It’s cold, I’m going to sleep with you.”

Changbin turned back around. “No, you’re fucking not,” He scoffed. 

Hyunjin stood up from the couch, stumbling over his feet, but eventually making it over to the soft, warm, bed. He fell onto the mattress, digging himself under the covers.

“Hyunjin, what the hell are you doing?” Changbin scowled.

“It’s cold,” The younger whined, throwing his bandaged arm onto Changbin’s waist. “And I’m injured.” 

Changbin groaned, pulling Hyunjin closer. “I hate you _and_ your concussion _and_ your arm.” He spat. Snow began to fall outside the window, creating small shadows in the room.

The younger grinned, “It’s warmer like this, isn’t it?” 

Changbin let out a loud, overdramatic sigh, but eventually gave in and shifted further under the layers of blankets. “Yeah, I guess it is.”

A few minutes went by, neither of them speaking a word. Hyunjin watched the snow fall outside of the window. His headache had died down since Minho had woken up. The realization had sobered him up a little, and the small spots in the corner of his vision were fading away.

They were able to bring back the ghosts. The ghosts didn’t have to suffer anymore. Seungmin was able to come back, and he could meet the ghost for who he really is. Thoughts swarmed through his head, and for a moment, an excited smile spread across his face.

Next week couldn’t come soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hyunjin head go BONK  
> but anyway - FINALLYYY ive been stressing abt this chapter bc i didn't know if it was too much or too little or if its too fast paced or hhh but i think it came out ok!!!  
> so jeongin and minho are Not Possessed Anymore but they are a little bit out of it to say the least. hj is also out of it but for a whole other reason. changbin just found out that his brother is a witch and the vampires r just straight up not having a good time having to admit that they kept this secret from minho for around 30 years. :(  
> keep in mind, this is only the beginning of their emotional turmoil 
> 
> (and thank you to people who are leaving comments like. im serious whenever i see a comment my heart just goes BOOMBOMOOBMBOOM and i open up google docs again thank u guys ily)
> 
> up next: changbin reacted with 👎 : eat the rich


	10. the wolf in sheep's clothing

It’s too hot when Hyunjin finally wakes up. He’s sweating, and he hates it with every inch of his being. Even opening his eyes in a mistake, the white light of the sun making black spots mask his vision.

He makes a strained noise and he struggles to pick himself up on his good arm, but he’s knocked over by something moving under him. Opening his eyes, he sees Changbin, still sound asleep from the night before. 

“Gross,” Hyunjin chuckled, watching the way the older slept with his mouth slightly opened. 

Hyunjin felt his energy begin to drain again, his eyes beginning to burn from the light. He placed his head back down onto Changbin’s chest, just for a small moment a rest, before the door burst open.

“Changbin, Hyunjin! Wake up, wake up, wake up!” Chris scrambled into the room, tripping over his feet. “You’ll be late for the meeting! It was at sunrise!”

Changbin began to open his eyes, letting out a small cough as Hyunjin knocked his arm into the older stomach in a struggle to get up. “What-What’s going on?” He asked groggily, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

“Umm, some sort of meeting,” Hyunjin answered with a mumble, throwing himself over Changbin’s waist instead of standing up. “Can’t we have 5 more minutes?”

Chris let out a loud, annoyed sigh from the door. “You’re already late! The meeting must have started a few minutes ago during the sunrise!” He cried, waving his hands around in panic.

“Weren’t you supposed to wake us up at sunrise?” Changbin grumbled.

“W-Well yes, but Bambam and I wanted to watch the sun come up and… we forgot,” Chris rubbing the back of his neck, turning to the door. “Wake up soon! Gowon won’t be happy if you two are late!”

The light from the window stung Hyunjin’s eyes as he looked to see the weather outside. It was sunny. He was about to smile with happiness before the white light began to sear across his eyes.

“C’mon, let’s go to the meeting,” Hyunjin urged, shaking Changbin awake. 

“Why?” The older groaned, “Why do I keep having to meet these witches and vampires and whatever else. I’ve had enough! I’m staying in today and you can’t do anything about it!”

Hyunjin blinked a few times as he looked down at the boy. “Alright.” He agreed briskly, picking himself up and walking to the closet. He looked into the mirror, then picked out a pretty purple scarf that he thought matched the small bruises by his fingers. When he turned around, Changbin was sitting in the bed, hunched over and glaring at the younger.

“What?” Hyunjin asked, “You want to stay in today, don’t you?”

Changbin groaned loudly. “You’re supposed to try and convince me to come along!”

“No! You’ve been through a lot, just stay inside and take some time to relax. I’ll come back to you when we’re done and fill you in on any details.”

“...What about you? You’ve been through some tough shit too.”

Hyunjin looked off into the window, his gaze becoming blurry as the sunlight attacked his eyes once again. He picked at the backs of his earrings. “I’ll be fine.”

“There he goes again!” Changbin yelled, “It’s always ‘I’ll be fine’ and ‘Don’t worry about me’ until you’re literally concussed and can’t stand up straight!” Changbin’s tone was serious, and Hyunjin flinched. “Can’t you take a fucking break, Hyunjin? Stop acting like you’re so invincible!”

The younger kept his gaze strong, letting out a hollow chuckle. ”I’ll be back before nightfall,” He informed, walking out the door, a smile already masking his face. “Take a bath while you’re here, you stink!”

Accusatory shouts emitted from the room after he left, but Hyunjin was already late for the meeting. He wanted to help Seungmin. That was his main goal. He had to help Seungmin, and fix everything. No matter what.

The fields were as bright as ever with the recent snowfall. Maybe a little too bright for Hyunjin’s liking. The snow shined back into his eyes, and his vision became engulfed in the searing white glow. He pulled his jacket hood further over his eyes, hoping to create a shadow.

“Hyunjin!” Gowon called out, “Glad you can make it! Where’s the other one?”

Hyunjin shut his eyes tightly, opening them again with the hopes of clearer vision. Nope. “Changbin’s back at the hotel, he’s taking a short break from everything that happened.”

Gowon nodded suspiciously, turning back to what she was focusing on before. Minho. 

He was using magic, Hyunjin suspected. The water floating over his head and around his waist was a dead giveaway. The boy stood there with his arms outstretched, maneuvering the bright blue water around him.

Hyunjin’s gaze shifted to another pair in the far corners of the field, Jeongin and Kim Hyunjin.

They were holding talismans, similar to the one’s that were used just the night before. Jeongin traced the writing on the talisman with his finger, Hyunjin showing him the correct strokes and their order.

“Minho, good!” Gowon cheered, circling the older. “You’re magic is still strong, but not as strong as it could be. That’s to be understood, of course! After being possessed for so long and losing touch with your second half… it’s a miracle your magic is as strong as it is now.”

Hyunjin walked towards the witch carefully, the melting snow sinking under his feet. When he got close enough, he greeted the girl, who turned back around to him. 

“How are you feeling?” She asked, “You were pretty out of it yesterday.”

He held a hand to his forehead, feeling for a temperature. “The headache got better,” He acknowledged, “I’m still not in my best shape, but I’ll manage.”

“And your arm?” Gowon pressed on.

“My arm is usable, I’ll leave it at that,” Hyunjin laughed, lifting his arm up to show her. Pain shot up his forearm, and he had to make an effort to keep himself from flinching.

Gowon squinted in doubt but decided to leave it. “Whatever you say, Hyunjin. I just need to finish up with Minho’s ‘not a demon’ test and I’ll start with the magic lessons.”

“Uh-huh…” Hyunjin hummed, “Wait, magic? Me? I have to-”

Before he could finish his sentence, Gowon was already walking away, joining Minho in the wheat field. The older dropped his arms slowly, sending the water seeping back into the ground. Hyunjin was completely mesmerized. Was he going to have to learn how to do that?

He turned his attention to Jeongin and Hyunjin, who had left the talismans on the ground and had already moved onto something else. Jeongin talked enthusiastically with her, his dimples showing whenever he smiled.

When Jeongin turned to meet Hyunjin’s gaze, his smile dropped. It was replaced by a look of worry. The younger gave him a shy wave and he turned back to talk to her, his head hung low.

A feeling of guilt struck Hyunjin. Although he didn’t remember much of what happened the day before, he did remember the events in the sailor’s back room. Jeongin was a witch, apparently, and a strong one at that. He had no idea what the boy was able to do, but he was curious. The boy looked so innocent and kind, there was no way he could be capable of anything so powerful, right?

“Hey, Hyunjin, are you ready?” Gowon yelled out. Behind her, Minho walked out of the wheat field, his jacket flowing lightly behind him.

“Where’s he going?” Hyunjin asked.

“He wants to go talk to Kevin and the boys, something about owing them an apology.”

Hyunjin nodded, watching the older boy until he disappeared around a corner. He snapped back to attention. “What were you talking about when you said you were going to teach me magic?”

“You have to learn how to expel a spirit from a body, kind of like me. We’ve figured out that to expel the demon, you need two people. One to go into the body and kick the demon out, and another to capture the demon and trap it using a talisman.

Kim Hyunjin and I are already a pair, since we did everything we needed to yesterday already, and it worked out just fine. We’re also teaching Jeongin how to use the talismans along with some of Yerim’s advanced healing spells. He’ll pair up with someone who can replicate my ability to possess someone and expel a demon from their mind.”

Hyunjin nodded along thoughtlessly, the information stored in his head, but not really sinking in.

“I was planning to have you and Changbin learn how to do the possessing part, since you both seem to have a strong base, mentally. Jeongin and Minho already have magic abilities, so they’ll work on using talismans on top of what they can already do.”

Hyunjin’s brain was buzzing. “So… I have to learn how to possess people?”

“Yes,” Gowon answered promptly, “That is what I said, is it not?”

“It-It sounds like a good plan and all, but I don’t think you’ll be able to rope Changbin into learning this magic stuff… and in just a week?” 

“It seems like a short amount of time, but we have more than 12 hours each day to practice and 7 days in the week. That’s a lot of time! My ability isn’t very difficult, either. You can practice it on other people, and it’s only the base of possession. What we’ll be learning is only getting into the other person’s head, without gaining their memories or control over their body. Whatever you develop past that is going to be a part of your own magic” She talked as if it was so easy, and Hyunjin felt uncomfortable. 

“You’ll have it down in 3 days at most,” She assured, “Anything longer and that’s definitely a ‘you’ problem.”

With a pat of her dress, Gowon began walking down towards the exit of the wheat fields. “Well then, follow me! I’ll give you some books on magic that you can start with.”

The boy followed her hesitantly, turning around one last time to check on Jeongin.

“Do you think we’ll be able to use this magic to bring the ghosts back?” Hyunjin asked shyly, finally catching up to the girl.

Gowon thought for a moment, bringing a gloved hand up to protect her eyes from the sun. “We could be able to, I hope,” She began, “But just expelling the demonic half of their souls won’t answer the question of how to bring their physical bodies back.”

“No, I’m sure we can do it!” Hyunjin assured.

The girl sighed, “You’re setting yourself up for disappointment, Hyunjin,” She whispered, but it wasn’t loud enough for the boy to hear.

They arrived at the fruit stall, and Gowon opened the door for Hyunjin. “You wait here while I go and grab the books, ok?” 

Hyunjin nodded in response, standing politely by the door. The light blue frills of Gowon’s dress bounced as she ran up the steps of the victorian house, and Hyunjin’s eyes widened when she didn’t trip on a single step.

She bounded back down the stairs a few minutes later, holding a short stack of books. 

“Here they are!” She announced, “Make sure you read these along with Changbin. Learning about the herbs and medicinal plant combinations is always the first step to taking part in witchcraft. At least, it is here is Yellowood.”

Heavy books were placed into Hyunjin’s arms, and he was thankful that they took up his entire forearm instead of digging into the wound.

“Now, go home and read!” The girl ordered.

Hyunjin looked at her in confusion. “Am I not supposed to stay here and learn from you…?”

“You are! But it’s not worth it today. I need to teach both you and Changbin. Use today to learn everything you can about medicinal magic and the herbs, then come back tomorrow and I’ll start the ceremony.”

“Ceremony?”

“Oh, that’s right!” Gowon chirped, “You and Changbin didn’t know witches existed until just a few days ago! Newly taught witches need to go through a ceremony to actually receive their magic abilities. It isn’t too long or extravagant, and we only need one other witch to perform it, which will be me.”

She trailed off for a moment, looking down at the books, then back at Hyunjin. “All of these will need to be read by tomorrow. You can skim them over if you’d like, honestly.”

Hyunjin groaned, glaring at the stack of books in his arms. “Of course,” He obliged, and turned to walk out the door.

“Make sure you come back in the evening with Chris and Bambam so that you could learn how to fight!” She called after him.

Hyunjin yelled back a “Will do!” in response, and continued down to the hotel. Changbin was not going to be happy.

  
“What!? We have to read all of these!?” Changbin was furious.

Setting the books down in front of the older, Hyunjin crossed his arms. “Well, if we want to help out, then yes…”

Changbin eyed the books carefully, taking one from the top and flipping through the pages. “Medicinal herbs? Potions?” He sighed, “What are these all for? We aren’t going to have to become witches, right?”

With a nervous laugh, Hyunjin tried to explain Gowon’s plan to Changbin. The older looked back at him with awe.

“You’re telling me,” He started, looking down at his hand while he recounted information, “Gowon told you that you need to learn how to possess people, and you just accepted it?”

Hyunjin faltered. “Uhh, yes?”

Changbin groaned, standing up from his chair and picking up a book. “What else did I expect?” He talked to himself as he settled down on the bed near the window, opening the book to the first page. “You can always count on Hyunjin to drag you into some really strange shit…”

The younger grabbed another book from the pile, skipping over to where Changbin was sitting. “So, you’ll do it?” He grinned, throwing himself next to the older and placing his head on the boy’s thigh.

“Do I have a choice, anyway?” Changbin grumbled, poking the boys head lightly with the spine of the book. “You’re completely set on helping the ghosts, all I can do is make sure you don’t hurt yourself too much. Yesterday already took a toll on you.”

A soft smile plastered Hyunjin’s face, his eyes sparkling. “Thank you, Changbin,” He thanked, “I owe you a lot.”

Something hard hit his forehead, and Hyunjin let out a strangled yelp. “You don’t owe me anything, you thick-headed boar! Just make sure you don’t die.” Changbin huffed, ending his statement with a flick to Hyunjin’s forehead. “Now, start reading. We have to finish these by tomorrow, don’t we ?” 

Hyunjin laughed at Changbin’s annoyed tone and turned back to his book, flipping through the yellowing pages. 

There were chapters specifically about forest plants, other chapters about types of leaves, some chapters discussed the uses of snow, grass, and rainwater in potions. Hyunjin stilled on a chapter about plants that should never be used together. He read the pages carefully, trying his best to remember the dangerous combinations. He didn’t want to cause any danger, especially with something as dangerous as magic.

The next time Hyunjin stopped to read something carefully was a chapter on essences and fragrances for relaxation. Chamomile, ginger, lavender… They were all plants that used to be scattered around his mansion back at home. As a young boy, Hyunjin never truly paid attention to it, but now that those familiar smells are gone, it feels as if something is missing. 

“I’m getting another book,” Changbin announced, getting up from the bed and leaving Hyunjin’s head to fall onto the mattress. 

Hyunjin shifted slightly, yelling to Changbin. “Can you get me one too? I’ve almost finished mine.”

Evening began to fall in the small village, and the bright light of the sunset lit up Changbin’s room. The duo had finished skimming through the stack of books and were taking a short break, sprawled out across the bed. Changbin snored quietly and Hyunjin stayed awake with his eyes closed, tired, but not able to fall asleep completely. 

The door opened quietly, and Hyunjin grumbled, rolling over to see who came in. It was Chris, shuffling in quietly, wearing a long nightgown and a robe. 

“Ah, Hyunjin! You’re awake!” He said with a tired voice, “Bambam and I are supposed to go teach you two how to fight so… get ready. Or not, since you’re already dressed.”

Hyunjin laughed seeing the unusual image of the vampire. “Did you just wake up?” The younger asked.

Chris nodded, ruffling his hair out of his face. “We’re vampires, Hyunjin. Bambam and I sleep during the day and wake up at night. Or, we try to. Now, meet us out by the front door.”

With a small wave and a yawn, Chris walked out out the door of the room, closing the door shut behind him.

Hyunjin kicked Changbin lightly with his foot, hoping to wake up the older. When he didn’t budge, Hyunjin resorted to taking a book and using it to hit the boy’s shoulders harshly.

“Fine, fuck, I’m up!” The older grumbled, sitting up on the bed, “What do you want?”

“We have to go learn how to fight with Chris and Bambam,” Hyunjin answered innocently. 

Changbin shut his eyes tight, leaning back on his arms. “Can’t I have a few more minutes of sleep?”

“They’re already waiting for us out front, Changbin.” He slid off the bed, dusting off his coat and turning again to face the older. “Are you coming or not?”

Changbin glared, finally pushing his feet onto the ground and trudging to the door.

Chris and Bambam waited at the bottom of the staircase, the pair already changed into their more casual overcoats and dress shoes, Bambam wearing a glossy black top hat.

“Nice hat,” Changbin joked.

“Thanks, it keeps me from burning alive in the sun,” Bambam replied with a smile.

Changbin laughed nervously, following the vampires out the front door.

They were led to the wheat fields Hyunjin was in that morning, but the other witches were gone, and the four boys were alone. The vampires stood across from Changbin and Hyunjin.

“Alright, fighting!” Chris began, and he widened his stance, digging his heels into the ground. “Start with a strong stance, and make sure you’re grounded so that you won’t get knocked off your feet so easily.”

“W-Wait, we’re starting already?” Hyunjin sputtered, looking to Changbin tensely.

“Ah! You’re right!” It seemed as if a lightbulb went off in the vampire’s head, “We need to stretch first!”

“That’s not what I meant…” Hyunjin mumbled, but he joined the vampire and began stretching his back. He heard Changbin giggle next to him.

“Can the both of you touch your toes?” Bambam asked, struggling to reach his fingertips past his ankles. “I’ve never been the most flexible…”

Next to him, Chris grabbed the end of his shoe with ease. “That’s your own fault. We had over a hundred years to practice!”

Hyunjin also managed to press his full hand into the ground, immediately regretting it when he felt the cold, mushy snow press itself through his fingers.

“Christ, Hyunjin,” Changbin hissed, “How are you able to do that ?” 

Hyunjin turned to see Changbin, his hands barely at his knees. 

“Practice?” He laughed in response, “I can do the splits too, but the ground is kind of…” A piece of mud flicked off his shoes as he kicked the ground.

“Crazy bastard,” Changbin muttered under his breath with a smirk, stretching his arms. Hyunjin began to stretch his arms too, but with a lift from his left arm, he realized the problem.

“Um, Chris?” He called out, cradling his arm close to his chest.

“Please, call me Chan!”

“Okay, um, Chan. How can I learn to fight with only one arm?”

Chan stood up quicker than Hyunjin’s eyes could process, staring at the younger boy’s arm.

“Oh, I see. Yes, that could be a small problem that I forgot to take into account…” He took a sharp inhale, walking closer to Hyunjin and taking a look at the arm. “Does it hurt when you move it at all?”

Hyunjin nodded hesitantly. “I can put weight on it, apparently, like when I was carrying a stack of books earlier. That’s probably because my other arm takes most of the weight… I can’t use my muscles too much, though.

Bambam walked closer as well, joined by Changbin at his side. Hyunjin took a step back.

“We can probably give him a sword,” Bambam mumbled to Chan, “I have one back in the cottage from back in the days.”

“Oh, like 1820? 1830?” Hyunjin gasped in awe.

Bambam gave him a soft smile, “No, the 1600s, probably. It’s a rapier, given to me by a noble knight back when I was still a knight’s apprentice! Very popular, and a beautiful sword.”

“The 1600’s? That’s...” Changbin wavered.

“I was quite the traveler before I settled down here,” Bambam grinned, “There are many artifacts from foreign countries scattered in our cottage, and a few gifts I received from royals that I met on my journey’s. If you’d like, I can show some to you!”

Changbin’s eyes widened, but a small dull replaced the sparkle in his eyes. “We don’t have time to go back to the cottage, though…”

Chris chuckled, “We don’t have to go back to the cottage.”

Closing his eyes, Bambam took a step back and held out his hand. A small flash appeared, and he held a long, thin sword with a gorgeously engraved hilt.

“Here, Hyunjin, try holding this.” Bambam handed the sword to Hyunjin, careful to pass it off by the hilt.

Hyunjin felt the sword in his hand, raising and lowering it in curiosity. “It’s very… light?” He realized. Throwing the sword into his other hand, he experimented with even more careful raises. “Isn’t a sword more dangerous?”

“It’s only dangerous if you know exactly how to make a lethal hit,” Bambam explained, “It’s only good for stabbing, and it’s definitely not big enough to be lethal. You can use it for self-defense if anything.”

Hyunjin sighed in relief, showing the sword to Changbin, who was watching with his mouth agape.

“Let me hold it,” Changbin ordered, looking to Hyunjin with hungry eyes.

The younger obliged, watching the older boy play around with the sword as the vampires watched on.

“I’d give the kid his own sword, but, I only have the two rapiers and you’ll need someone to train with…” Bambam lamented, and Chan chuckled in response.

Hyunjin took a step back, watching Changbin enthusiastically swing the delicate sword. Eventually, the older grew tired, handing the rapier back to Hyunjin and bending over with his hands on his knees.

While he laughed at Changbin’s expense, Chan stepped next to him and tapped his shoulder. “Would you like to learn how to use the sword, at least?”

When the younger nodded eagerly, Chan called to Bambam, asking for the other sword. His husband ran to him with another rapier in hand, this one with a silver hilt instead of the golden one in Hyunjin’s hands.

“This silver one’s special to me, but I’ll let you use it to train Hyunjin,” Bambam told Chan with caution, “Please, just be careful with it!” 

Chan nodded in response, taking a step back from Hyunjin and holding the thin sword out in front of him. Bambam left the two of them, running over the Changbin and leading him to tall grass near the fence of the wheat field. 

Chan smiled, grabbing the younger’s attention with a small tap from his sword. “So, Hyunjin, are you ready to learn some sword fighting?”

  
By the end of the night, Hyunjin was exhausted.

They had trained with swords until the moon was high and bright in the sky, the vampires finally at full energy as Hyunjin and Changbin grew tired. When Chan finally called for the end of their practice, the younger boy let out a loud sigh. The end of his long jacket was wet and muddy, Chan’s unforgiving teaching style forcing the younger to lower himself to the ground for balance. His pants were dirty as well. The boy had fallen more times than he would like to remember.

“Same time tomorrow, yeah?” Chan asked, taking Hyunjin’s sword back carefully.

“Of course!” Changbin answered enthusiastically, pushing his sweat-soaked hair out from his face.

Hyunjin only grunted in response, ruffling the hair at his neck to cool off.

The vampires chuckled, saying their “goodnights” and sending the younger boys off to bed. As the duo walked off, Hyunjin turned around to see the vampires dueling with the rapiers.

“I have a lot to live up to, don’t I?” He huffed, watching Chan move weightlessly around the fields.

Changbin nudged his side. “I bet you can do that, eventually,” He assured, “But don’t expect too much from just a week of training. Sword fighting takes years to learn, and that guy had a lot of time on his hands.”

Hyunjin gave a single, sad nod, and they walked back to the hotel in tired silence.

The inside of the hotel was finally warm upon entering, unlike the previous nights. Changbin’s room was warm as well, and Hyunjin threw himself onto the couch comfortably. He slid out of his heavy overcoat, undoing a few buttons of his shirt and letting out a tired yawn.

“Don’t get too comfortable there, Hyunjin,” Changbin chuckled, throwing a piece of long, white fabric over the boy’s head, “You’re all sweaty and you’ll get dirt all over my room! If you don’t go bathe I won’t let you sleep in here.”

Hyunjin picked up the fabric with a frown. “What is this sad excuse for a nightgown?” He mumbled, “Cotton? Really?”

“What?” Changbin scoffed defensively, “Are your nightgowns made of luxurious silks from overseas or something?”

“Well…” A guilty grin spread across Hyunjin’s face, and he was quickly chased out of the small room.

“Come back after you wash off!” Changbin yelled through the door, his voice muffled.

Hyunjin began to head down one half of the hall, then he turned around. He walked to the opposite end of the hall, a dead end. Walking back to Changbin’s room, he opened the door slowly.

“Where exactly can I go to take a bath?” He asked, poking his head into the room.

Pulling his eyes away from a book, Changbin stared at the younger. “A bath, you say?”

Hyunjin was led to a small room behind the kitchen. The floors were made of cracking tile, and a small bowl of water sat alone in the corner of the room. The older boy grabbed a rag, dipped it into the bowl of water, and threw it onto Hyunjin’s head.

The younger sputtered, lines of cold water running down his face.

“There’s your bath, Hyunjin,” Changbin laughed, “Honestly, what were you expecting from a small town hotel? Baths are a home thing.”

Hyunjin groaned, “Couldn’t you have given me some warm water, at least?” He took the rag off of his head, holding it in one of his hands, trying to keep the nightgown dry in the other.

“Warm water means starting a fire, boiling the water in the bowl, then finding some more cold water to cool it down to not-scalding temperatures. That’s a whole lot more work that I want to do, especially since my muscles are sore. It’ll be good for you, Hyunjin!” Changbin began to walk away, closing the door softly behind him. “There’s a basket here for you to put your clothes in,” The boy added, “We’ll be having a wash day sometime this week.”

Hyunjin huffed, but he placed his nightgown opposite to the bowl of water, careful to keep it off the wet floor. He sat down on the cold tiles and began to wash his face. After a few hours of fighting, his whole body was sore, and just a few minutes of sitting was enough to bring a relaxed smile to his face.

The water turned out to be nicer than expected, the coldness relieving some of the pain in his muscles. The only problem was his wound, though. He had to be careful changing into the nightgown. Every small brush of fabric would hit tear in the skin, and Hyunjin had to hold his hand over the wound to keep it from reopening yet again.

When he was finally changed, he left his clothes in the basket as asked and ran up to Changbin’s room, clutching his arm to his chest.

Changbin was busy reading on his bed, just as he was before, but his hair was wet. The older looked more focused than ever, and Hyunjin took the opportunity to sneak next to him, trying to catch a glimpse of the pages. 

It was the story of Cain and Abel, the two brothers. Hyunjin looked to him with a confused expression. “...Why are you reading about this?” He asked.

“The witches said Minho was possessed by Cain,” Changbin explained, “I wanted to figure out who that was.”

Hyunjin gave him a hum of understanding and placed his head onto the older’s shoulders, the white nightgown much softer than his usual tough, heavy jacket. “So… what is Cain? Or, who?”

Changbin closed the book, already on the last few pages. “It’s a whole biblical story about these two brothers. All I needed to know was that Cain killed his brother because of jealousy or whatever.”

“Oh,” Hyunjin shuffled around to get more comfortable, “Then, Minho almost…”

“Weren’t you there?” Changbin sent him a questioning look, “Possessed, demon-Minho almost killed Jeongin out on the river.”

Hyunjin shivered, just the thought of it making his blood run cold. “Aren’t you mad?” He finally asked.

There was a short silence as the older hesitated. Without an answer, Changbin placed the book down on the windowsill, throwing the covers over both of them. He got comfortable while Hyunjin looked on with worry.

“Blow out the lights and come back,” The older ordered, turning to face the wall.

Hyunjin obliged, standing up to blow out the lantern near the door, then another on the opposite side of the room. Carefully sitting back down, he stared at Changbin’s back. “Well, are you?” 

“Don’t press it,” Was the response, and Hyunjin let out a soft huff, laying on his back and staring up at the ceiling. 

  
The next day, Changbin joined the younger as they went to go meet the witch, but what they were met with was much different than what they expected.

Gowon sat in the wheat field, surrounded by luggage. Yerim and Hyunjin walked up the hill behind the boys, carrying small cases of luggage behind them as well.

“Oh, finally! You’re here!” Gowon welcomed, “We have a slight change of plans today!” She stood up from the ground and held a hand to her face to shield her eyes from the bright sun. Picking up two of the suitcases, she walked up to the duo and dropped them at their feet. “We’re done making sure Minho is completely safe to be around, and he told us about his manor in the East. It’s a much bigger place and we’ll all have our own space to learn and practice. The layout is also identical to the Westgate manor, so it may be beneficial to planning.”

Changbin made a noise of surprise. “Wait, that’s Minho’s manor up there?” He wore a look of disbelief, looking between the east mountain and Gowon. 

“If he’s inviting us in, then I believe so,” Gowon shrugged, “I do remember him talking about taking ownership of that manor after his grandfather passed… Minho’s father kept him near the lake for their fishing business, but his grandfather preferred his home in the woods.”

“He mentioned it the first time we met,” Hyunjin added. 

“He must not visit it very often, then…” Changbin said, staring down at the luggage.

Gowon nodded, “From the beginning, he loved living in the manor. He said it reminded him of his grandfather. Now that he remembers what happened to his friends... being in a manor that looks identical to Westgate might be a new challenge.” She looked behind the boys, sending a warm smile to the girls who had made it up the small hill. “Now, hurry on, go get packed for the week. I talked to Chan yesterday. He said he’ll gather some horses from Sir Jeon’s stables, maybe even borrow a larger hay wagon for all of us to sit on.”

“Oh, that sounds nice,” Hyunjin smiled, “We’ll be back soon, then.”

“Take your time,” Gowon replied, turning around and heading to meet the girls near the pile of luggage, “We aren’t leaving until noon.”

“Chan said he sleeps during the day, though?” 

“Yes, he doesn’t like this scheduling, but it’s 2 vampires against 7… non-vampires. And majority rules.”

Hyunjin felt bad for the older vampire, and he trudged down the hill with the case of luggage in his hand.

Dry rocks rumbled under their feet as they walked, and Hyunjin noticed that the snow had completely melted away. The grass was sticking out from the ground, and he saw a small patch of clovers near the fence. Spring was coming.

They met their next problem at the hotel when they began to pack. Changbin had clothes to pack. Hyunjin did not. Hyunjin didn’t fit into any of the clothes Changbin had, and he wouldn’t fit into anything Jeongin and Minho would have, either. He couldn’t imagine spending the entire week in only one set of clothing, so he proposed an idea to Changbin.

“Can I make a stop to Olivia’s thrift store?”

Blinking slowly, Changbin shrugged. “Go ahead, I’ll come with you.”

Hyunjin slumped his shoulder. “You don’t have to come along, I can go on my own.”

“No, I’ll come with you,” Changbin smiled, packing the last item into his bag.

With a turn to leave, Hyunjin let out a sigh. “Fine, we should leave now, then.”

The door creaked loudly, and they quickly realized that Olivia wasn’t working the front anymore. In her place was a girl with soft features and a rosy pink dress, a stark contrast to the dark, black ensemble that Olivia maintained. The girl greeted the duo kindly, allowing them through to the third floor. Brushing away the uneasy feeling, Hyunjin quickly began picking out clothing on the rack. A few cotton pants here, a few satin shirts there, and a new pair of socks after his last ones were ruined in the cold water of the lake.

“You’re getting… quite a lot there, Hyunjin,” Changbin eyed the boy carefully, watching him stack items onto his arms. 

“We’re leaving for an entire week… I need to be prepared.” The clothes continued to stack up on his arms.

Changbin walked in a circle around him, watching with his hands clasped at his neck. “Are you going to try those on, then?”

Hyunjin shook his head. “If something doesn’t fit, I’ll go to a tailor. This place feels… different, anyway. I don’t want to spend more time here than I have to.”

With a shiver, Changbin nodded his head, looking around at the walls of the previously comfortable store. Once Hyunjin was done, they headed down the stairs of the store, stopping at the counter to pay.

“You’re buying quite a lot,” The girl at the counter pointed out, “Is there any special occasion?”

“We’re heading away for the week, so we need some extra clothes,” Changbin answered, eyeing the girl cautiously. Something didn’t feel right.

“Oh, a vacation!” She grinned, “Where to? I heard the mountains are beautiful this time of year.”

“It’s not a vacation,” Hyunjin laughed, “But we will be going into the mountains!” He answered without thinking and was surprised when Changbin delivered a quick jab to his side. 

“That sounds wonderful,” The girl took Hyunjin’s payment, giving him the change and taking the clothing off of the small hangers. “My name is Vivi, I hope we meet again!”

Hyunjin gave her a kind smile, taking his clothes from the counter. Changbin grabbed him by the arm - his uninjured arm, thankfully - and pulled him out from the store.

“Hyunjin!” He scolded, “What the hell!?” He continued to pull Hyunjin back to the hotel, his footsteps heavy on the ground.

“What? She was nice,” He defended.

Changbin shifted his gaze between Hyunjin and the thrift store nervously. He tightened his grip on Hyunjin’s arm. “You better hope nothing bad comes out of this, or I swear.”

“Nothing bad comes out of what?” 

With a groan, Chanbgin shoved Hyunjin’s back, rushing him back to the hotel. He closed the door behind them, hurrying to the comfort of his room. 

“You just told a stranger where we were going for the week!” Changbin yelled with exhaustion tainting his voice. “After everything that’s happened, shouldn’t we be a bit more careful with who we trust?”

Finally, Hyunjin realized his mistake. “A-Ah, right…”

Changbin held a hand to his head, pacing around the small room. “Just… pack your bag. If your luck is as good it has been, she was just a nice lady who took over for Olivia. Nothing to worry about.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Hyunjin mumbled quietly, folding the clothing neatly and tossing it into the bag. “Should we tell the others?”

Changbin stopped pacing the floor, looking up to meet Hyunjin’s gaze. “No. It’ll make everyone worried,” He decided, tearing his eyes away to look back at the floor, “Besides, it’s not like she’ll actually do anything, right?”

Hyunjin’s eyes lost focus as he stared down at his luggage bag. “Mhm, i-it’ll be okay.” 

They were done packing, both cases filled with clothing and other necessities. Changbin made it a point to bring the medicinal books along, just in case. Noon wasn’t for another hour or so, but both boys heading back out to the wheat fields to meet the others. It was a nice, warm day, the first one in months. 

On the field, the girls were chatting, sitting on top of their luggage, letting the long trains of their dresses sweep across the ground. Gowon and Yerim wore their hats; woven sun hats complete with flowers and a single feather in the cap. Hyunjin didn’t have a hat, instead deciding to wear a winter bonnet, decorated with ruffles and a ribbon at her chin. Jeongin and Minho sat behind them, leaning on each other’s backs and talking more quietly.

Hyunjin hadn’t seen the two boys since the previous day, and he was sure Changbin hadn’t seen them since the incident at the lake. He could almost feel the older stiffen next to him.

“Oh, you guys came!” Yerim shouted as she noticed the two boys walking up, “Right on time too, Chan and Bambam should be back from the stables any minute now.”

Hyunjin and Changbin greeted the girls, sitting on top of their own luggage bags in the sun.

“It’s getting warmer now, isn’t it?” Hyunjin said, trying his best to make small talk with Changbin, who was clearly uncomfortable.

“Well, it’s springtime,” He answered emotionlessly, “If it was any colder I’d have to go talk with Mother Nature herself.”

Hyunjin let out a small laugh, but the silence took over quickly. He tried to eavesdrop on the girls to pass the time, but he couldn’t make out most of the conversation, and the few words he did hear made no sense without their context. The most he was able to do is play with the clasps of his bag until the vampires arrived, a large wagon trailing behind them.

“Get on!” Chan called out, his voice tired, but still positive.

Grabbing the bags of luggage, Hyunjin and Changbin climbed onto the large, wooden wagon, setting the bags down at their feet. The girls got on after them, Jeongin and Minho coming on last.

The wagon was drawn by two horses, and Chan sat in the very front of the wagon, holding the reins for both of them. Bambam sat at his side, his head leaning on the man’s shoulder.

Once everyone was comfortable, the wagon began to move. It started with a jolt, but once they had been moving for a few seconds, Hyunjin became accustomed to the rumbles of rocks beneath the wheels. 

The girls began to chatter once again, loudly discussing something they had cooked last night. From what Hyunjin was hearing, someone burnt a pot through the bottom, and they were angrily debating between getting a new one made of steel, or a cheaper version in case the culprit hasn’t learned their lesson. They laughed loudly and shouted at each other with a smile. 

The bright atmosphere put a smile on Hyunjin’s face, but when he turned to the side, Changbin was as stoic as when they had first arrived at the wheat fields.

In an effort to get any kind of emotion from Changbin, Hyunjin stuck an elbow into the boy’s side. His plan worked, and he got a jab back, along with an angry snarl. Better than nothing, He thought, cradling his side with his hand.

After the while, the wagon left the small town and began climbing the large hill behind the hotel. The group would occasionally have to duck their heads to avoid a low branch, which came with a warning from Chan.

Hyunjin grew restless, not used to spending so much time in the quiet while everyone around him was talking. He turned to Changbin. 

“What are you thinking about?” He asked.

“I’ll be thinking about ways I can throw you off this wagon if you don’t stop talking to me,” Changbin replied, his gaze never breaking. Hyunjin followed his line of vision and realized that the older was staring at the two boys, who sat at the end of the wagon. He decided to ignore that fact for now.

Instead, he tried to carry on what little conversation had started. “I bet I could take you in a fight.”

His plan of using Changbin’s aggressive nature to spark conversation had worked, and the older smirked, finally taking his eyes away from the back of the wagon. “You could never,” He argued, “You can’t even use one of your arms. If we were to hypothetically get into a fight, I would win without a scratch.”

“I still bet I could win,” Hyunjin argued stubbornly. If Changbin couldn’t tell him what was wrong, he could at least take his mind off the subject. “Have you ever heard the saying ‘all brains, no brawn’? You just may be the opposite.”

Changbin laughed, “I wouldn’t be talking, Hyunjin! You fit the original phrase perfectly.”

“So, you’re saying I have brains?”

A rough shove and some more arguing later, Hyunjin finally felt Changbin loosen up. He no longer wore a cold glare, and his smile reached his eyes for the first time since getting on the wagon.

With a small jolt, the wagon began to slow down, and Hyunjin turned behind him to see the grand manor looming over them. The front yard was more upkept, with no more boards covering the windows and flowers blooming before the windows.

“Wow…” Changbin muttered, “I didn’t know it was going to look like this… ” 

Hyunjin stared at the manor. “Are we sure it’s built the same way as mine?”

He only heard Changbin’s faint laugh in response, and the group began to unpack from the wagon. Carrying their many suitcases, everyone followed Minho into the mansion. He opened the door with slight hesitation, stepping to the side and letting everyone through while he stared to his left.

Once he was inside, Hyunjin took the time to look around the inner architecture of the manor. Like Gowon had said, the interior was built in just the same way. There were some different cabinets, tables, and paintings. The carpet below his feet was different too. 

He followed Minho’s gaze into the small living room. The mirror was still covering the wall, but the door to the reading room was wide open.

“Alright,” Minho announced, ripping his eyes away from the small room, “I’ll take everyone to their rooms for now. Once you’ve unpacked, we can all meet down here and I’ll give a small tour around the manor. The layout of the rooms is the same, but their functions might be a bit different from the West manor.”

He led the vampires away first, leading up to the left hall of the second floor. He came back a moment later to lead the three girls up as well, letting them split up in the three rooms in the right hall. Jeongin was left standing with the duo as the girls playfully argued over who was getting the master bedroom. 

Jeongin shifted his weight uncomfortably, refusing to look at his brother. Changbin, meanwhile, stared holes into the younger’s back.

Minho came back down the stairs nervously after the argument was resolved, the girls deciding to leave the master bedroom to the Yerim after they found a small door leading into the room next to it, which Hyunjin gladly accepted.

The older witch made eye contact with Jeongin, but let his gaze fall to the floor as he nodded his head towards the staircase. “Let’s go,” he murmured quietly, heading up the stairs with the three boys behind him. 

They were led into the left hall, each of them taking one of the three remaining rooms. Hyunjin took the room at the end of the small corridor, Changbin taking the one next to him, and Jeongin right across the hall.

“I’ll be staying in my own room downstairs,” Minho informed them in a soft voice, “just… meet me in the foyer when you’re done unpacking.” He turned away, heading down the staircase with a somber expression. Jeongin disappeared into his room, shutting the door softly behind him. Hyunjin saw Changbin glaring at the door before entering his room. There was an uncomfortable tension in the air, and Hyunjin didn’t like it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaand the story is slowing down again ;;; i hope its still interesting enough but there's still some things the characters need to overcome before we reach the Big Moment!! or is it a Big Moment?? stay tuned >:DD
> 
> giving hyunjin a sword was a very last minute decision and i'll try my best to keep it from being a one time thing lmfao
> 
> im changing the little "up next" thing to include a sentence from the next chapter so. :)  
> \-- “Hyunjin? Hey, Hyunjin? You awake?” [REDACTED] kneeled next to him, haphazardly shoving his face around, but his expression was filled with genuine worry. --


	11. the legend of the phoenix

Greens and blues swirled around inside the glass bottle.

Hyunjin dropped in a few mint leaves and the liquid turned to a cooler green color, a gentle fog rising from the bottom of the bottle. He felt it grow colder in his hands, and he gave a nervous look to Changbin, who was sitting next to him.

Gowon handed him a cork, motioning to the bottle. “Shake it while I help Changbin with his own potion,” she ordered, “You’ll need to shake it until all of the ingredients inside dissolve.”

He stared nervously at the bottle, watching the colors inside splash around and mix as he shook the bottle with one hand. Soon enough, Changbin was holding a light green bottle as well, shaking it vigorously with both hands. Gowon smiled proudly.

It was the day after they had first arrived in the manor. The atmosphere was less tense once everyone knew where everything once, and the group returned to their regular routine. Gowon was set on teaching Hyunjin and Changbin how to do potions first, so they had spent the entire afternoon after their arrival reviewing what they had learned from the books. After a few hours, Gowon decided they were ready to gain their magic abilities, and brought them down to the kitchen for the ‘ceremony’, as she called it.

“Hey, Gowon?” Hyunjin said, “I think mine’s done.” He looked down into the glass bottle. The liquid was nearly transparent now, and there was no sign of leaves or twigs anymore. 

Gowon clapped her hands excitedly, “Perfect! Now drink it.”

Hyunjin sputtered, and Changbin’s head flew up to look at Hyunjin, then to his own bottle.

“H-Huh?” The younger mumbled, “I have to  _ drink  _ it?” 

Gowon nodded, settled into a more comfortable position. “It doesn’t taste too bad, don’t worry. If I remember correctly, it should taste like minty water with a hint of… ginger, I believe.”

With a strangled noise, he took the cork out of the bottle, holding the contents up to his nose. It smelled… minty, actually. Hyunjin thought it’d be worse. “You’re sure I have to drink this?” He asked, checking with the witch one last time.

She gave him an enthusiastic nod, taking a second to check on the potion that Changbin was shaking.

He raised the glass to his lips, drinking the contents of the bottle until the last drop. For a moment, Hyunjin felt a shock ring throughout his body. It was like the feeling of getting goosebumps but… worse. He shook his head to try to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling, opening his eyes to the green-tinted room. 

“Why is everything green…?” Hyunjin asked hesitantly, watching the tint slowly fade from his eyesight. He blinked a few times just to make sure he was seeing clearly.

“That’s just the ring around your eyes,” Gowon explained, but Hyunjin cocked his head in confusion. “Once a witch becomes, well, a witch, they have this ring around the bottom of their irises. It isn’t permanent and only appears when their magic source is being tampered with. Since yours was awakened just now, the ring made itself known.”

“But… why green?” Hyunjin continued.

Gowon held a hand to her chin. “We witches haven’t been able to completely figure out the deal with each color, but we’re assuming it has something to do with what type of magic will come easiest to you, or maybe it’s your aura…”

Hyunjin hummed along, and a memory flashed into his head. “Around the time I first met Minho, he had a strange yellow ring. It was visible for just a little bit and then he passed out… do you know what that might mean?”

Shaking her head, Gowon took the glass bottle from Hyunjin and placed it on the ground beside her. “I’m not sure what that was about, but if I remember correctly, he did have a golden color. Mine is teal blue, Yerim’s is warm purple, and Hyunjin has a pale yellow ring. I haven’t seen Chan’s for many years but I remember it being a warm orange. From what I saw two days ago, Jeongin’s ring is a light lavender…”

A small silence fell over the group. Hyunjin didn’t realize that the sound of Changbin shaking his spell bottle was so loud until it was gone. The older had a sad expression on his face as he continued to shake the bottle, his eyes focusing back onto the task at hand. He stared down at the bottle, brows furrowing.

“Is… Is there something wrong?” Gowon asked politely, “I don’t mean to be rude. Speaking about your brother after everything, that is.”

“No, no. Go on. This isn’t the time or place to discuss these kinds of… family matters.”

The formal tone of his voice struck Hyunjin, and he suddenly felt uncomfortable. It wasn’t like Changbin at all. 

“I-I think yours is done, Changbin,” She motioned to the bottle, which Changbin has begun shaking even more.

“Oh, is it? I didn’t even notice.” He popped the cork off of the bottle, downing the contents and letting out a short breath. Upon opening his eyes, Hyunjin noticed the deep red ring under his iris.

Hyunjin let out a gasp. “It looks prettier up close,” He said, leaning closer to look at the vibrant color in Changbin’s usually black eyes.

“Back off,” Changbin growled, and Hyunjin became aware of how close he had gotten. He sat back, sending small glares towards Changbin. 

“You don’t have to be  _ mean _ ,” Hyunjin pouted. If he could cross his arms, he would.

“I’m not being mean, I’m just-!”

“Hey, boys!” Gowon shouted. Not loud enough to ring throughout the manor, but loud enough to grab their attention. “You two can argue or mope or whatever some other time. There’s something more important we have to focus on right now. Do you two remember what that is?”

Hyunjin looked up to her with a guilty expression. “We have to help the ghosts.”

“And what do we need to learn in order to help the ghosts...?” She lectured.

“...Magic.” 

“Correct! Now, let’s get started on our first order of business. Possession!” She clapped her hands enthusiastically, her face lighting up with pride.

Changbin held a hand to his head, groaning for a moment. Not because he was tired, but to make a statement.

Gowon turned her head up, continuing to speak despite the small disruption. “Because possession is such an unused form of magic, it can be tricky. You both can practice getting into my head, and getting yourselves out as well. I can guarantee that my magic is much stronger than both of yours, so I’ll be able to take you out of my head if you aren’t able to return to your bodies yourselves.”

Hyunjin grimaced. “That sounds… strange,” He complained, “How do we even ‘get into your head’ in the first place? There isn’t a recipe for it, is there?”

To give him an answer, Gowon took out a flask filled with small white flowers, flicking some of the water onto his forehead. Hyunjin was overcome by heavy tiredness. He closed his eyes for a moment, opening them to a claustrophobic atmosphere around him.

“You can turn around now.” 

He heard Gowon’s small voice coming from behind him, so he turned. She stood behind him, not quite Gowon, but at the same time, definitely  _ Gowon.  _

Hyunjin took a moment to take in his surroundings, or lack thereof. All around him there was a floating brown and red mass, seemingly falling all around him like a waterfall made of thick magma. The roar was deafening. 

“What… What is this place?” He asked out loud.

“I’m not too sure myself,” She answered, “It seems to be some type of headspace. Maybe your memories, maybe your brain, maybe an entire plane of existence entirely, not to be found on our human earth. But, it gets the job done.”

Hyunjin nodded, staring forward but unable to focus on the girl in front of him. She remained slightly blurred, slightly out of place, slightly... off. A dusty haze settled around her.

“Now, Hyunjin,” She caught his attention again, “This is  _ not  _ what it feels like when you enter someone else’s head. For you, it might be different.”

“How so?” Hyunjin asked, his voice growing grainy as it left him.

“Depending on which way you decide to use this magic, you may gain control of their physical body, their memories, their entire being… You won’t know unless you try. In my case, I can possess people’s physical bodies as well as their memories. When I possess another person, I am able to see my surroundings on Earth, but I also have to cope with hundreds and thousands of memories that flood my head if I choose that route.”

Although he nodded along, Hyunjin began to drift into sleep.

“Ah, you’re accepting it already?” Gowon panicked, “You must still be tired...”

Hyunjin closed his eyes once again, his shoulders growing heavy. Gowon placed a hand to his forehead, and he was back in control of his real body. He felt rough hands holding his chin, shaking his head from side to side.

“Hyunjin? Hey, Hyunjin? You awake?” Changbin kneeled next to him, haphazardly shoving his face around, but his expression was filled with genuine worry.

“I-I’m fine,” He huffed out, “It’s just a bit strange, that’s all.” 

Changbin sat back down, still dissatisfied with the answer. “What did you do?” He asked, looking to Gowon with a fearful gaze.

“I possessed him,” She answered, “It’s one of the first steps in this learning process - to be able to experience the feeling of not truly being  _ in  _ your body.”

“It just feels like you’re really,  _ really  _ sleepy,” Hyunjin explained, shaking his head slightly to brush off the remaining nervous feeling.

Gowon motioned to Changbin, who sat holding his legs. His eyes shook just slightly as he looked at the girl in front of him, then to Hyunjin, who was still in a daze. “Do I… do I have to do that too?”

With a short laugh, Gowon nodded. “Let’s get you used to it.”

Hyunjin watched the girl flick more water onto his forehead, and Changbin’s body went limp next to him. He somehow remained upright, only his head and shoulders slumping down.

Still tired, Hyunjin’s eyes refused to focus on the boy next to him. He looked around the room they were in, trying to pass the time as the two people around him were motionlessly quiet.

They sat on the floor of Gowon’s room, the same room as the parlor back in the West manor. It was the place he first met Seungmin.

Hyunjin looked to where the vanity was meant to be, in its place a bed, covered with thin lace sheets and four wooden spires at each corner. The window was veiled by light white drapes, and Hyunjin could have sworn he could see the boy sitting there, still smiling with that kind expression he had grown to adore seeing.

They had only met twice, Hyunjin was aware of that. But there was something about the boy that he couldn’t get out of his head. Even with his stark white eyes and blue smoke that circling around his limbs, Seungmin seemed so… alive.

A rustling came from beside Hyunjin. Changbin and Gowon had come back into consciousness, and Changbin didn’t seem too happy about it.

“That wasn’t very pleasant,” Changbin spit, rubbing the goosebumps off of his arms.

“It’s possession,” Gowon hissed back, “You’re not exactly supposed to have a pleasant experience.”

“H-How was it?” Hyunjin asked the boy, looking into his eyes curiously. “Did you see the red stuff too?”

Changbin gave him a look of confusion. “Red stuff?”

“All around you, like walls but also the floor, and the ceiling…”

“Well, it wasn’t red for me, more like black and gray.”

Gowon clicked her tongue in disapproval. “You were fighting against me, that’s why. Hyunjin accepted it, so his experience must have been different. You rejected the possession, so your headspace was dark and loud. Both of you have a lot to learn, but we’re starting in opposite directions…”

She turned to Hyunjin, looking him in the eyes. Hyunjin shivered. “You’re too accepting, Hyunjin. When I tried to possess you, you sat back and let it happen. That’s what made you so sleepy. It was my consciousness slowly taking over yours.”

Changbin began to laugh, but Gowon turned to him next. “You, sir, are too aggressive. The second I got into your head, I was pushed back. It’s a great defense system when you’re being possessed, but you’ll need to learn to trust me if you want to learn.”

The boy scoffed, avoiding Gowon’s gaze. 

Gowon let out a soft sigh, setting her hands down on her dress and standing above the two boys. “That’ll be all for now,” She said, “We’ll meet here again after dinner at sundown. I have to go meet with the girls before we go down to eat. Chan and Minho are making roast beef for us, so I better see you both there!”

Changbin began to leave the room as well, but Hyunjin grabbed his wrist. “Changbin, wait.”

The older sent him a glare, snapping his wrist away. 

“We have to talk, Changbin. You’re acting off.”

“No, I’m not,” The older growled. “Leave me alone for a while, I need some time to think.”

Hyunjin pouted, lightly pinching at the older’s jacket. “It’s better to talk it out, Changbin. You know you can trust me.”

A sigh. “It’s still a mystery as to why I trust you... Just give me a day or two.”

He gave him a solemn nod, letting the older walk out of the witches’ room and down the hall into his own.

  
  
  
  
  
  


The hallways were filled with the smell of meat, wafting through the halls and into Hyunjin’s room. Gowon said they were making roast beef, right? 

Hyunjin got up from his bed, setting one of Changbin’s books down on the dark wooden shelves and walking across the room to creak open the door. Sure enough, the scent of meat hit him upon opening the door, and the smell led him down the all-too-familiar staircase. He turned left at the bottom of the staircase, tiptoeing into the manor’s kitchen. 

Minho stood alone, mixing the contents of a large pot using a wooden spoon. He turned behind him as Hyunjin crept into the kitchen, suddenly feeling nervous.

“H-How’s the cooking going?” Hyunjin asked, trying his best to seem nonchalant. 

Minho laughed. It was a bright sound dampened by guilt, but it was a laugh nonetheless. “The cooking’s going fairly well so far, and Chan just left to fetch some vegetables from the cellar.”

“There’s a cellar?” 

“It’s in the back garden in the small tower, not inside the house.”

“Does that mean my manor has a cellar in the tower as well? Why didn’t I see it?”

Minho shrugged, “It was covered by a stack of firewood the last time we were there.”

The smell of spices and herbs wafted from the large pot, and Hyunjin found himself entranced. Minho lifted a large slab of meat from next to him, placing it into the pot and surrounding it with water and specks of color from the spices. 

“It looks delicious,” Hyunjin mused, staring into the swirling water of the pot, “Will it be ready by sundown?”

Minho gave him a curt nod, setting down the spoon and placing a cover over the pot. “Did you just come down here to see the food?”

Hyunjin giggled guiltily, leaning on the counter behind him. “It smelled so good, I had to come and check it out…”

Also sitting back on the counter, Minho let out a soft sigh. “Is Changbin doing well?” He asked suddenly.

“Oh, Changbin?” He tried to think of what to say. “Changbin’s, well, Changbin,” Is what he ended up with.

“Makes enough sense,” Minho chuckled, “He’s unreadable. And you?”

A small shock ran through Hyunjin’s spine. “...And me?”

“Yes, how have you been faring these last two days?”

Minho’s gaze was kind, but strong. Hyunjin knew he wouldn’t be leaving until Minho got his answer. “My arm has seen better days, but the wound is beginning to scab over, so it’s healing slowly,” He admitted, “The concussion is also making it a bit difficult to see sometimes, but it isn’t too much of a problem.” 

“That’s good,” Minho hummed, “Your wounds are healing, the concussion isn’t as big of a problem as we expected… I’m glad.”

Hyunjin felt strange. Is this how Minho was  _ supposed  _ to be? Kind and caring? Interested in the well-being of his friends? No wonder Seungmin noticed that something was off.

“How are you feeling, then, Hyunjin?” Minho asked, his gaze lowered to the floor. 

“I’m feeling fine,” Hyunjin answered, tapping his fingers against the top of the counter.

He heard a scoff from Minho. “You’ve been saying that, but it isn’t true. Maybe you’re just ignoring it yourself, using the crazy situation you’ve gotten yourself into to distance yourself from your problems.”

Now it was Hyunjin’s turn to scoff. “I’m not ‘ignoring my problems’, Minho. I’m doing just fine. Absolutely fine.”

“Still as stubborn as ever,” Minho lamented. “I won’t push it, but you’ll have to let us know at some point.”

“How are you dealing with everything, then?” Hyunjin asked sharply, turning to face the older.

Minho’s smirk faltered for a moment, replaced by a quilty frown. “It’s… difficult, to say the least. I miss them, I really do, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to look into their faces ever again. They don’t deserve that.”

Chan walked back into the room, holding a small burlap sack filled with vegetables. He wore a small smile as he walked into the room, placing the sack down on the table and dumping the contents out onto it. “It’s nice to see you, Hyunjin!” He chuckled, “Did you come down to help us with the food?”

Hyunjin looked between the two as Minho gave him a stern stare.  _ Let me talk with him,  _ the older mouthed, and Hyunjin caught on quickly. 

“No, I was just leaving! I’ll leave both of you to cook.”

With a gentle nod from Chan, Hyunjin left the kitchen, a strange feeling in his chest. He felt like he was forgetting something. Something he was supposed to be doing. Something he was supposed to be aware of. What was it? 

He walked back up to his room, his footsteps heavy on the dark wooden floor. He paused at Jeongin’s door, unsure of whether to walk in and talk to the boy or leave him be.

Hyunjin decided to go back to his own room, turning to handle and opening the door slightly-

“Hey, Hyunjin?”

A small voice called out from behind him. Jeongin peeked his head out from his door, his fingers clutching the frame. “Do you have the time?”

His eyes shook, and his lips were pressed together. 

“What is it?” Hyunjin asked. He sat on the edge of the bed, and Jeongin sat across from him on his desk chair.

“I… I wanted to make sure you weren’t mad at me,” the younger muttered, curling his body into itself. He lowered his gaze to the floor.

Hyunjin felt bad. He didn’t want the younger to be nervous in front of him. “Why would I be mad at you…?” 

“Because… Because I’m a witch,” Jeongin confessed, “And I didn’t tell you, o-or my brother.”

Letting out a soft sigh, Hyunjin looked up to the ceiling, searching for what to say. “I’m not mad,” He decided, “I’ve only known you for so long, I don’t think I have the right to be mad.”

“A-And my brother? Do you know how he’s dealing with it?”

Jeongin looked scared as he spoke. His hands fidgeted in his lap, and Hyunjin could see how chapped his lips were from biting them so much. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any news to cheer the boy up. 

“Changbin is taking it fairly well,” He lied. He couldn’t take seeing that sad expression anymore. 

Jeongin pulled his legs up onto the chair, holding them in his arms. “I-I was scared of how he’d react,” he admitted, “My brother really didn’t like weird things like that after what happened with our parents, and I was afraid he’d get mad at me. Minho started teaching me a few weeks before that happened, and I was supposed to tell him, I swear, but he just… I don’t know. He didn’t trust anyone in this town anymore. I think I was the only one he had to trust...”

Hyunjin nodded along. If there was something he could do to help, he would. But how could he help in this situation? 

“You can… you can try talking to him by the end of the week,” Hyunjin suggested, “I’ll try to talk to him and get him into a better mood.”

“Why can’t I talk to him today? You said he’s taking it well, right?”

Hyunjin chuckled lightly. “Something during our practice must have put him in a bad mood,” A lie. It was a white lie, that couldn’t hurt him. Hyunjin could just fix things by the end of the week, and they’ll be all better. Then again, a white lie was what got them into this position in the first place…

“Oh, so Changbin really is learning magic?” Jeongin was surprised, his nervous expression dimming into surprise. 

“Yes, he is,” Hyunjin answered, “But he’s still hesitant about it.”

“I don’t blame him for it,” Jeongin chuckled, “Possession is strange magic… I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing it either.”

Hyunjin hummed in agreement, remembering the deafening sound of the headspace. “Speaking of magic, how is your training with the girls coming along? Last I saw, you were writing up the talismans.”

Jeongin’s eyes lit up and he raised his head to meet Hyunjin’s gaze. “Our training is going well! I’ve learned how to use the talismans, and she’s teaching me how to control the spirits and lead them into the jar. It’s difficult to understand and I don’t have anything to practice with, so I’ll just have to hope I understand it enough when the time comes…”

“...Is Yerim teaching you magic as well?” Hyunjin asked on, his hands fidgeting at his knees.

“Yes! At least, she will be,” Jeongin answered, “She’ll begin teaching me her own magic once Hyunjin is comfortable with how far I’ve gotten with the soul control thing. Yerim knows how to extend the lifespan of different plants, so Gowon and I are learning that to keep the candytuft in bloom while we’re traveling to the manor.”

“Oh, is that so?” Hyunjin nodded along, his eyes unfocused on the door beside them, lost in thought. There was something. There was something important he was forgetting. His fingers tapped his leg and he picked up a hand to fiddle with the backs of his earrings.

_ That’s right,  _ He thought,  _ The jewelry orders. But that can’t be it, right?  _ He was forgetting something big. Something - a secret - that tugged at his mind.

A small noise from in front of him snapped him out of his thoughts. Thoughts that began to swell inside his mind. “Hey, Hyunjin, are you ok there? You seem a bit pale.”

“Ah, I guess I am a bit worried,” Hyunjin laughed off, “I just… want to make sure this works out well, is all!”

Jeongin made a doubtful face, but let out a sigh and stood up from his chair. “The plan should turn out well if no surprises pop up! Now, I have to go check on the food. The smell of meat is making me go crazy,” He skipped lightly as he walked towards the door. “Cheer up, Hyunjin. And get some rest!”

The door closed softly behind him, and Hyunjin heard the patter of footsteps as the younger ran downstairs to check on the food. He let out a loud breath and held his head in his hands. 

His jewelry orders. The list of items he had to finish by the end of the week. Had he gotten too carried away with helping the ghosts? Will his parents forgive him if he falls behind? How will he make up for lost time, and will he ever be able to sit in that manor to work ever again? What else was he forgetting? The big, dangerous secret he had to keep from the group. Why couldn’t he remember it?

These thoughts were enough to flood Hyunjin’s head, and he felt an aching pain behind his eyes.

_ Best he’d take a nap for a little while. _

  
  
  
  
  
  


Dinner came quicker than Hyunjin expected. One second, he was asleep. A dreamless, thoughtless, peaceful sleep. The next, he was being shaken awake by none other than Changbin himself.

“Wake up, bastard! You aren’t going to sleep through roast beef, are you?”

Hyunjin grumbled, shaking the sleep out of his head. “What’s got you all aggressive?”

“Everyone’s already at the table,” Changbin huffed, “But Chan won’t let us start eating until you come down too.”

Hyunjin stared into the boy’s eyes, then let out a small laugh. “Let’s go, then. I’d hate to keep everybody waiting.”

The table was crowded, already filled with chatter as Hyunjin came down the staircase. Food lined the table, filling every open space. Since when had they made this much?

Hyunjin took a seat next to Changbin at the end of the table, Chan sitting excitedly at his other side.

“Now that everyone’s here,” Bambam announced, standing up from his seat, “Let’s dig in!” 

The girls at the end of the table let out a loud cheer as they fought for a particular cut of meat. Changbin also piled food onto his plate, scooping some onto Hyunjin’s when he saw the boy hesitate. 

“These potatoes are delicious,” Changbin muttered, his mouth full, “C’mon, take whatever!”

“I just woke up, give me a minute!” Hyunjin chuckled in response, slowly picking up his fork and poking at the food on his plate, eventually deciding to take some of the roasted vegetables.

“Did you sleep well, Hyunjin?” Chan asked from the side. He already had a cut of meat on his plate, despite sitting on the opposite end of the table. 

“Yes, I guess I did,” Hyunjin answered. At this point, any sleep was good sleep for him.

Chan gave him a small smile, the corners not quite reaching his eyes. “You’ll need to get a lot of rest this week, things will become hectic once we’re out of here.”

“How about you, then? Aren’t vampires supposed to be asleep during the day?”

The vampire let out a soft sigh. “Well, yes. Bambam only woke up now to have dinner, but I’ve been up all day. Can’t seem to fall asleep, you know?”

Hyunjin gave him an understanding nod, picking up a few of the potatoes with his fork.  _ Changbin was right, these  _ are  _ good. _

Looking down the table, he felt a small spark of familiarity. Happiness, home, family. Everyone was eating happily, talking to each other between bites. Even Changbin began to talk to Yerim, who was sitting next to him. Jeongin discussed something excitedly with Gowon and Hyunjin, listening intently while the girls made wide gestures to explain something. Only one thing was off.

Minho sat at the table, staring down at a plate full of food. Bambam scooped another few potatoes onto the plate, patting him on the back. The younger simply shook his head, mumbling something to Bambam and pushing his chair out from the table.

“Minho, do you have to leave so early?” Chan caught the younger’s attention, speaking softly. The rest of the table hadn’t even noticed.

“I’m not hungry,” He replied, a distant look in his eyes.

“I’ll bring some food to your room later,” Chan offered.

“Don’t.”

“You have to eat  _ something,  _ Minho.”

“I said I’m not hungry,  _ Chris,  _ ” He hissed sharply, walking away from the table, leaving the table full of noise and walking to his own room.

Chan let out a sigh, holding his head in his hands as Bambam placed a piece of meat in front of his mouth, mumbling small words of reassurance.

Pushing himself further into his chair, Hyunjin took another bite of the potatoes. Suddenly, they didn’t taste too good anymore.

  
  
  
  
  
  


“Good! Now spill some out onto your hands and flick it onto my forehead.”

Hyunjin held the flask of candytuft in his hands, spilling some onto his hands and doing as he was told. Gowon didn’t even flinch as the water hit her face. 

“Imagine that you’re in my head, and you’ll be there. At least, that’s how I-” Gowon’s voice cut off for only a moment, returning again a second later with a hollow, distant sound to it. “-do it. Ah, we’re here!”

Hyunjin blinked, staring at the black mass of dust sitting in front of him. It was his own silhouette, he was sure of it. The rest of the room looked the same, and Changbin was laying on the bed just as before, resting until it was his turn to practice. The room was the same, but it was from Gowon’s perspective.

“This is… strange,” Hyunjin spoke, but his voice wasn’t his own. It was Gowon’s happy, chirping voice. Coming out of  _ his  _ mouth. Or was it coming out of Gowon’s mouth now?

“What are you seeing?” He heard Gowon’s voice in the back of his head. It felt like there was a force pulling him down to the ground, and his limbs were completely numb, but everything else seemed… normal.

“I see the room we’re in,” Hyunjin whispered, still uncomfortable with a different voice, “But I see it from where you were, or,  _ are  _ sitting.”

“That’s very interesting! It’s much different from what I see… Can you try standing up, or moving around?”

“No, I can’t,” Hyunjin answered, still struggling to move at all.

“Alright, well, this should do for now!” He could almost hear the girl smiling through her words, “Tomorrow we’ll practice taking a spirit or soul out of a body that has already been possessed. I’ll possess Changbin, and you’ll have to kick me out of his head, then I’ll possess you, and Changbin will have a chance to practice.”

Hyunjin hesitated, “Aren’t we moving a bit fast?”

“I told you possession was easy to learn. I’m sure you’ll do just fine!”

With a blink, Hyunjin was back in his own body, looking forward at the girl. He shivered, getting used to the feeling of being in his own body again.

“You can go back to your room,” She said, “I’ll see you again to-”

“Wait, Gowon. I actually had a question…” Hyunjin interrupted.

Gowon looked up into his eyes with an inquisitive glare, sitting back on her hands. “Go ahead, then.”

Hyunjin took a deep breath, hoping it wouldn’t come out rude. “Why did you learn possession in the first place?”

Gowon blinked a few times, then let out a small laugh. “It’s a fairly long story, and I’ll have to explain a lot of things on the way. Are you sure you want to waste your precious sleep for that?”

Hyunjin gave her a nod, crossing his legs and getting comfortable.

“Fine, if you’re sure about it then it wouldn’t hurt to explain…” She let out a soft sigh, taking a moment to recollect her memories.

“It started a long, long time ago, around the 1800s. I was a young student, around 9 years old. It was a very small town, smaller than Yellowood - you might know how those go - and I was the only one with this blonde, nearly white hair in my class. The teasing started off harmless, and honestly, it wasn’t too much of a problem, just a few jokes here and there. But a few years down the road, when I was around 15, someone had started the rumor that I was a witch!

I mean, that was fine with me since I’ve been interested in things like magic and fairies since I was a little girl, but the townspeople didn’t take it very well. Eventually, the parents’ beliefs were spread to their children, and nobody wanted to hang out with me anymore. I was so lonely in my grade, and I was never caught up with anyone anymore. That is, until Hyunjin came along.

Hyunjin was a witch already, and her family practiced it before she came into our small town. The rumors started about her too, and after we became friends, the teasing turned really violent. By this time I was already 18, and our class would do just horrible, horrible things to Hyunjin! The other kids threw rocks, ripped up her spellbooks, threw her around the playground… and the teachers just sat back and watched it happen.

I knew I had to stop it somehow, so I asked Hyunjin to teach me how to be a witch. After probably a whole month of begging, she finally agreed and taught me a few basic spells. Hyunjin’s family was a ghost hunting family who would get rid of ‘evil spirits’, so I learned soul magic. 

I won’t go into any further details, but I messed with those kids pretty bad and I had to run away from town with Hyunjin a few weeks later. We packed our bags and left the town in shambles, finally coming to Yellowood when we were 19 and 20. We met Yerim here at the fruit stall that she had just taken over for her mom, and she was a witch too! Hyunjin began courting her about a year later, and I decided that I wanted to travel around a little bit. Somewhere in between, Chan and Yeji came around, so I stayed for a little bit. Yeji left suddenly, the lake started dying off, and Minho showed up on our doorstep passed out and covered in blood. 

Things started going downhill from there, so I left town to look for answers elsewhere. There’s quite a lot of research on demons and evil spirits up north, you see, and not much here in Yellowood. Ah, I’ve gotten a bit off track, haven’t I?”

Hyunjin was appalled.  _ Kim Hyunjin was bullied as a child? This was all 40 years ago? Yeji left the town right before everything bad happened? And what did Gowon do to those poor children?  _ He didn’t have too much time to think. 

“How does everyone still look so young, then?” He managed to spit out, “Most witches I’ve met here should be in their 50’s right now, so why is everyone so young?”

Gowon sat still for a moment, her eyes rolling back, struggling to piece together an important detail.

“I think… I think I got that answer from Cain a while back, while I was possessing Minho. I’ll need to think more about it to understand what their motives are, so we’ll be holding a discussion over dinner sometime near the end of the week. They’re keeping all of the witches in town alive for some reason, but I don’t know why, and it’s  _ specifically  _ the witches that were around on that day. So, the seven of us.”

Hyunjin counted on his fingers. “Minho, Yerim, Hyunjin, Chan, and you… that only makes five?”

“Well, yes. There were two other witches here in town at the time, Chuu and Yves. They were a small farming couple back in the fields, but after the lake water became contaminated, they gave up on their lakeside farm and moved to another town.”

“Do you think there’s a chance they both of them are still in town?” Hyunjin asked, suddenly skeptical. Gowon wasn’t telling him something.

“I… They might be. I still have to think about it. Now go on, get your rest.” She hurried him out of the room, kicking his knees with her foot. “Changbin still has to practice, and it’s getting late.”

Hyunjin gave her an empty nod, rushing to his own room and throwing himself under the covers. He didn’t like where this was going. Not one bit.

  
  
  


By the end of the week, Hyunjin had become comfortable with what he learned from Gowon. Changbin had learned to accept it but it definitely wasn’t easy. It was difficult for even Gowon to take possession of him, and even more so for Hyunjin to try and get Gowon  _ out.  _

At least Jeongin’s lessons were going better. He had talked with the younger a few times, and each time, Jeongin had improved in an area of magic. Hyunjin had also managed to keep the younger away from Changbin from the time being, seeing as the older had  _ not  _ improved his mood, rolling his eyes even at the mention of the younger.

He held a small tray of food in his hands. A cheese tray, paired with other roasted vegetables and crackers. It was a favor from Chan - to bring food for Minho after the boy had refused to leave his room.

Hyunjin held the tray with one hand - his other not yet strong enough to hold heavier objects - and he circled around the dinner table to Minho’s bedroom room. Looking down at his injured arm, he decided to knock with his forehead. He hit the door lightly,  _ one, two, three _ , and a raspy voice yelled from inside.

“Who is it?” Minho asked.

“It’s Hyunjin,” He answered, standing quietly in front of the door. 

He heard a small scoff. “If you’re here to bring me food again, I don’t want it.”

“...You have to, Minho. We’re leaving tomorrow.” Hyunjin stood outside the door for a moment, lowering his eyes to the floor. “If you aren’t going to eat, can I at least keep you company?”

There was only silence in response, but soon enough the door began to open, Minho’s tired face coming into view. He let the boy inside, taking the tray of food from his hands and placing it on a small table next to the door. There was a large lounge chair next to said table, which Hyunjin happily sat in. Minho threw himself back onto the bed, curling the covers over his shoulders and facing the wall.

“...Are you sure you don’t want anything?” Hyunjin asked again, just to make sure. “The crackers seem extra-crisp today.”

Minho let out a soft chuckle. “I’m sure, Hyunjin. You can eat it if you’d like. You’re much bigger than I am, anyway. You need more energy than me.”

Hyunjin gave him a small frown, sliding down into the chair, but eventually grabbing one of the crackers from the plate.

They stayed in silence for a few minutes, only the light sound of crunching vegetables able to fill the void. Hyunjin was already dozing off in the light of the sunset when Minho spoke up again.

“Has anyone ever told you about the three boys in that manor?” Minho spoke, his voice low and ridden with sadness.

“No, but you don’t have to if you aren’t feeling up to it! It must be hard to talk about for you-” 

“I want to, Hyunjin. Don’t worry,” Minho sat up in the bed, his back slouched and the thick blanket strewn over his shoulders. “How much do you know about Felix?”

Hyunjin set the plate down onto the desk, folding his hands at his lap. “I… I don’t know very much. I know he’s good friends with Seungmin, but that’s all. He was very quiet the last I saw him.”

Minho hummed, lost in thought for a moment. “Felix was a bright kid when I knew him. He had this… childish charm about him, that made you want to take care of him more. He was perfectly capable on his own, but I think he liked to abuse his cuteness to get other people to do things for him.” He laughed lightly at the last part, recalling fond memories. 

“I used to live with him, you know. Felix wandered into town one day after he was revealed to be a witch in his last town. He learned witchcraft from his friend because it seemed interesting, and the next thing you know, your parents are leaving you alone in the woods with no place to go…” His voice trailed off, brows furrowing with a wave of timeless anger. “Luckily enough, he showed up at my door in the middle of summer, when fishing was still a big part of our small town. My father let him stay with us as long as he helped us with fishing, so I was able to teach him how to control the waters.”

A question popped into Hyunjin’s head. “Why are witches so commonly accepted in Yellowood if they’re being attacked in other towns?”

“Yellowood is a safe haven for witches, I guess,” Minho began to explain. “I’m not entirely sure of the history behind it, but we have so many witches in town now that nobody questions it. Witches that are cast out from their towns are also naturally led here, somehow, so we’ve become a town that’s overrun by witches.”

“And the natural borders of the town keep other travelers out, I assume? Hyunjin tried his best to fill in the gaps.

“I guess you can say that,” Minho chuckled, “We witches like to think that there’s a force surrounding the town, only letting in those with pure intentions. Maybe that’s why we all trusted you so much. You’re still here.”

Hyunjin felt a feeling of warmth fill his chest and he rested back in the chair, letting a small smile tug at his lips. “I’m glad you all like me,” He laughed lightly. “So, is water magic the only magic that Felix knows? I’ve heard that you’re able to control earth  _ and  _ water…”

The boy shook his head, the blanket rustling lightly from under him. “Felix knows water magic, but it wasn’t his first form, so he’s not very skilled in it. The first form of magic taught to him was healing. Yerim would have been able to teach him more of it, but I met her a little too late…”

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence with the mention of the incident. Minho began to stare at the wall, his shoulders falling down further.

“What about Seungmin?” Hyunjin muttered, trying to break the silence.

“Mm, Seungmin was a nice kid,” Minho began, taking his gaze off the wall, “He used soul magic back then so we’d often get into arguments, but it was never anything too serious. The two of us would only meet on days when all four of us hung out since he lived with Chan and Bambam.”

Hyunjin hummed in understanding. He’d heard the story from Chan and Bambam already, but it was nice to get a second perspective. “Was it the whole lie-detection thing that bothered you? Or is soul magic in general taboo?”

“Back then, it was soul magic as a whole. I was taught to hate it by my family, who believed it was too invasive and defied the rules of human nature. Even now, I have mixed feelings about it. Soul magic is what ruined my entire life, but it’s also been the biggest help with this situation, and it might be the only thing we can use to fix everything.”

Giving Minho a curt nod, Hyunjin stayed quiet, waiting for Minho to continue talking.

“Seungmin was a smart kid, though. He’d always think of new ideas for games we could play, places we could go… Every time we met he’d have a new book under his arm, filled with paintings or drawings of new places around the world. More than anything, he probably just wanted to see the world and get out of this small town. When we bring them back, make sure you take him to see the world, okay?”

Hyunjin’s head snapped up to see Minho looking at him with a soft smile. “Wh-Why would I take him? Wouldn’t we all go together once we’re ok?”

Minho let out a bright laugh, turning his gaze away from Hyunjin again. “I’d imagine that we’ll all split apart again once this is all over. Changbin and Jeongin have a bakery to run, Gowon will most likely return to her travels to the north, Yerim and Hyunjin have already settled down here - Chan and Bambam as well. I assume you’ll go back to the jewelry business as well, so take the boy with you when you go. I’m sure he’d be excited to see new places.”

“Then… what about you?” Hyunjin asked, a sad tinge to his voice. 

Minho let out a sigh, throwing the blanket over his head. “I’ll leave,” He answered simply, “I can’t stay here anymore, not after what I did. It’s selfish of me, but I want to stay until I’ve fixed everything I ruined. Once I do that, I’ll be out of your hands.”

“...Where are you planning on going?” Hyunjin asked innocently, his eyes shaking.

Minho let out a soft sigh, “Hyunjin-”

The door burst open, Chan holding onto the doorknob tightly.

“Chan, I told you not to show your face in here!” Minho yelled, his voice weak.

“There’s someone coming,” Chan spit out, ignoring his words, “We can’t tell who it is but they have very strong negative energy, very,  _ very  _ similar to what was possessing you. I-It’s like a clone, I can’t track down their exact location but they’re getting close and we have to leave  _ now  _ .” Chan’s voice shook as he spoke, and his tone was lower than usual. Scared, almost.

“H-Hey, ok, calm down,” Minho whispered, his voice slowly growing louder and more concerned as he got out of the bed. “How close are they? How much time do we have?”

Chan’s eyes shifted to Hyunjin in the chair, grabbing his hand, then Minho’s, and dragging them out from the room. “They’re already here,” He swallowed, staring straight ahead to where Gowon and Bambam were already standing near the door. 

_ That’s it.  _ Hyunjin thought.  _ That’s what he was blissfully forgetting. _

A loud yell sounded from the second floor of the manor, and Changbin ran down the staircase in terror. “Th-There's a fucking fire in Hyunjin’s room! Since when was there a fire?!”

His eyes met Hyunjin’s, and they exchanged a guilty look.

A loud bang sounded from behind the manor’s kitchen, and Jeongin ran down the stairs, followed by Yerim and Hyunjin.

“I’m staying here,” Gowon announced loudly, “If it’s a spirit similar to what we dealt with earlier as Chan says, I’ll be able to get it out with Hyunjin’s help.”

“If my wife is staying, so am I,” Yerim announced, her voice frantic. 

A gust of flames emerged from the hallway of the second floor, out from where the boy’s rooms were. Not soon after, flames licked around the side of the kitchen doorway, quickly spreading across the wooden manor.

“Get out, get out, get out!” Bambam yelled as the banister above the foyer began to splinter and drop small shards of wood above the carpet. The group rushed out the door, Hyunjin quickly searching for Changbin once they were outside and in front of the manor. The older grabbed onto his arm tightly, his gaze not leaving the manor, which was now covered in flames.

A figure emerged from the front door of the manor, holding a long stick with a small flame lit at the end. The only light to shine on her was the moon, and the piercing flames engulfing the picturesque manor behind her.

“Leaving so soon?” She asked, pulling down her scarf to reveal a sinister smile. “I thought you all would enjoy my addition to your little vacation.”

Hyunjin stilled when he finally recognized her face: the girl from Olivia’s shop. He felt Changbin’s grip tighten on his arm, and he took a small step back.

“She’s not a spirit,” Gowon informed their group, stepping forwards toward the girl, “She’s not a witch either.”

“Then what is she?” Jeongin cried, looking between the girl at the door and Gowon. Hyunjin turned his head towards the smaller boy. He stood holding Minho’s upright as the older stared painfully at the manor, his eyes brimming with tears. Hyunjin couldn’t watch.

Gowon stared at the girl, who waved the stick around her head, sending a line of flames to cover the door of the manor. “If my studies in the north are true, she’s… a phoenix.”

“That’s impossible,” Kim Hyunjin scoffed, “The phoenix coven isn’t alive anymore, they’re said to have died out hundreds of years ago. I  _ killed  _ the last of them for fuck’s sake!”

With a solemn shake of her head, Gowon stood her ground in front of the girl. “There was one legendary phoenix that survived any attempt at killing her. She’d be presumed dead, then be spotted once again a month later, every time without fail. Vivi.”

“Oh, so you know about me!” The girl laughed comically, hitting the side of the manor with her stick, blowing out the windows on that side and sending a line of flames down the side of the manor, completely covering the right half in flames that grabbed at the sky. 

“Guess I’ll just have to do the job again,” Hyunjin muttered, stepping forward to grab Gowon’s hand in unity.

Yerim leaped forward next to her wide - her hands clearly shaking with fear, but a serious expression plastered onto her face. “I’ll focus on putting out the flames first. The both of you have more experience in magic, so go ahead and stop her, but please… keep her alive. We don’t need any more bloodshed.”

Gowon and Hyunjin gave her a stern nod, Yerim raising a hand and pulling small droplets of water out from the ground, gathering them above the manor.

“The rest of you,” Gowon grabbed the attention of the rest of the boys, “Run. Get to that manor as quickly as possible. Even without me or Hyunjin, you’re more than capable of executing the plan we talked about.”

“W-Wait!” Hyunjin called out, hesitating slightly, “What were you going to tell us about Cain?”

A solemn expression crossed Gowon’s face, her eyebrows furrowed in determination. “They’re trying to break us apart, that’s their goal! They’ll keep putting us into these situations until we snap! The more we argue and the more conflict we have within ourselves, the more negative energy the demons are able to feed off of. Now, go! And keep your heads on straight!”

Hyunjin’s shoulders rose with a newfound motivation as Changbin pulled at his arm, forcing him to  _ run _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> afhdakvghsgh i know its another boring chapter but hopefully there was enough information and important scenes to keep u guys interested :,00
> 
> next chapter is taking me a FAT second to finish but ahha if ch12 comes out a bit late or seems late i APOLOGIZE!! its a big important chapter so I'm trying to put more care into it than usual :OO
> 
> also !! edit since someone pointed this out and id like to clarify: we are not even halfway through this long ass story !! i know changjin seem like a thing but they arent and their relationship will play into the future relationship dynamics so dw 🥰🥰 this is a long Baby so i hope yall stick around ahhaha
> 
> next chapter:  
> \--"“My friends let you leave once,” [REDACTED] began, “But I won’t let you pull that again.” --


	12. the happier moments in life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slight tw for violence and disassociation in this chapter! its nothing too graphic but stay safe!

It was bright, sunny, even a bit warm, but Hyunjin couldn’t miss the gray clouds looming over them. 

Were they clouds of smoke from the fire? Was it going to rain? Have the townspeople noticed? Would they even care?

Hyunjin asked himself a never-ending circle of questions to distract himself. His lungs were burning with pain as the group ran through the town at full speed. Chan and Bambam looked unfazed, not a single drop of sweat dripping from their foreheads. Jeongin and Minho were keeping up pace as well, running naturally and swiftly. Changbin managed to stay alongside Hyunjin, keeping a steady pace. 

He noticed that something was off about Minho, with the way his eyes glossed over and showed no emotion, not even tiredness or worry. Hyunjin wanted to ask if he was alright, if he wanted to stop, but he knew they had to keep running. They had to reach the manor as quickly as possible. Gowon’s orders.

They neared the edge of the town, finally hitting dirt ground instead of the cobblestone roads. The rest of the group slowed down as they began to climb the hill. It had rained just a few days prior, and the ground was still damp.

Mud hit the back of Hyunjin’s white pants as he ran - yet another pair he would have to scrub clean later, or maybe even throw out. Tree branches whipped past them, the rustling of leaves drowning out the sound of the forming storm above them. Hyunjin heard a low rumble of thunder, and his shoulders rose on instinct. 

Chan told them to keep running. Hyunjin let out a drained sigh, staring forward into the forest, focusing only on his breathing. Branches began to snap under his feet, small twigs that must have fallen during the last storm. He decided to stare at the branches on the ground instead, counting them as he ran.

He felt droplets of rain begin to hit the top of his head. They started off small and dainty, barely noticeable, but they eventually began to blur Hyunjin’s vision. The boy shook his coat off of his shoulders, holding it above his head with one arm, and he ached with invisible pain. The rest of the group began to do the same, removing their jackets and using them as umbrellas. 

Thunder growled even louder as they came upon the front doors of the manor, looking up at the backlit silhouette of the looming building.

“I-I don’t think I can do this,” Minho shuddered, his gaze not breaking away from the doors of the manor. “They don’t…”

“Minho, it’s okay. They know it wasn’t you,” Hyunjin reassured, still struggling to catch his breath. 

“But what if-”

“Minho,” He stepped towards the older, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, “It wasn’t your fault. Your friends still love you.”

With a shaky breath, Minho gave a small nod, turning to face Hyunjin. He looked into the boy’s eyes with worry.

“I’m going straight to Seungmin once we get inside,” Hyunjin informed gently, speaking first to Minho, then turning towards the rest of the group. “Are we going to do this as planned or are we switching things up last minute, since we don’t have our third pair?” 

“Keep things according to plan,” Chan let out a low sigh, “Bambam and I will stay and defend all of you while you’re at work, just as discussed. Reach Seungmin and Felix first, then we’ll take care of Jisung at the end. Gowon mentioned that he’d be the most difficult to purify…”

Bambam took a step in front of the group. “Hyunjin and Minho, you two go find Seungmin. Jeongin and Changbin will find Felix. We’ll stay in the foyer. Call us if you need any help.” Bambam raised an arm, a familiar silver sword appearing in his palm. “Hyunjin, this is for you.”

Hyunjin swallowed nervously, taking the sword and placing it carefully into his belt loop, keeping the sharp item in place. A wet hand weighed down on his shoulder, and Hyunjin turned to see Changbin giving him a stern glare. “Yell for me if you need anything. I expect you to call for me if anything happens as well.” 

A small nod and deep breaths later, Bambam opened the front doors of the manor.

Bursts of cold air attacked Hyunjin as soon as he stepped inside. He held Minho close to his side, the older boy refusing to open his eyes inside the manor. Hyunjin shook his head, trying his best to shake off the droplets of rain still falling from his bangs.

“Well, it’s nice of you to finally join us on this  _ wonderful  _ spring equinox!” A bright voice sounded from their left, it’s tone slightly muddled and distorted. Hyunjin held his breath as a man about his age emerged from the small living room, his eyes shut softly as he walked, folding his hands neatly behind his back. With the way Minho and the vampires fell into a hushed silence, Hyunjin assumed this was the third ghost. Jisung. 

“How…  _ nice,  _ to see all of you again.” 

The ghost opened his eyes to reveal stark, glowing white. Jeongin took a nervous step back, digging his heel into the floorboards. Minho clutched at Hyunjin’s arm.

“Let’s go,” The older murmured, tugging Hyunjin along lightly.

“Leaving so soon?” The ghost sang, “Don’t you miss me, Minho?”

“You’re not Jisung,” Minho whispered weakly, his eyes still shut tightly. “You don’t get to do that to me.”

Hyunjin gave a light nod to the rest of the group, pushing Minho along as they began to climb the staircase. Changbin and Jeongin walked slowly behind them, not taking their eyes off the ghost.

Jisung had a smile crossing his face. A smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, one that didn’t crease his eyes or make wrinkles by his cheeks. His eyes were wide open, staring at the group going up the stairs.

“My friends let you leave once,” Jisung began, “But I won’t let you pull that again.” A stair broke under Hyunjin’s foot, barely giving him time to regain balance and move his foot to the next step. The railing began to rip from the rest of the staircase, taking a portion of the wooden step along with it. Hyunjin pulled Minho to the wall lightly without a word, looking behind him to make sure the two brothers were still on the stairs with them.

“You leave them alone,” Chan shouted, taking a step towards the ghost, “Focus on us.”

“And why do you think you can order me around?” Jisung asked, his gaze finally breaking off the staircase. 

Chan raised his rapier - one Hyunjin didn’t even notice he was holding - and pointed it at the ghost. “Because you still need a vessel, don’t you?”

Jisung’s grin widened, staring down the sword Chan was pointing. “And just what are you getting at?” The ghost mused, “Are you going to kill me again? You know that won’t work.”

Hyunjin felt Minho tense up, his footsteps slowing down. He pushed the older along, ignoring the noise on the first floor and heading straight towards the room where he first saw Seungmin. The staircase stopped shaking and crumbling, and Hyunjin heard a cling of swords below him.

A shiver ran up Hyunjin’s spine as he grabbed the door handle, the brass was nearly frozen over and painful to touch.

“You chose a bad day to come,” Seungmin spoke, the usually blue smoke around his arms turning to a dark red, “They knew you’d be here.” He stood in front of the window, the rain falling around him as if he were a painting, a light glow cast around him from the moonlight.

“Yeah, I assumed that’d be the case,” Hyunjin mumbled back, stepping into the room carefully, Minho still at his back.

Seungmin’s gaze fell softly to the older, the red smoke turning dark for a moment, then returning to a lighter red color. He let out a soft sigh, the smallest smile spreading across his face.

“It’s been too long, Minho,” He spoke kindly, his tone quiet and warm. “I’m glad you’re back with us.”

Minho clutched at the fabric of Hyunjin’s soaked shirt, finally opening his tear-stained eyes. 

“I… You…” He choked out, his breath hitching at the back of his throat, “I did that to you…”

Seungmin shook his head. “Now, you two are here to do a job aren’t you?”

Hyunjin took a careful step forward, taking the bottle of white flowers out from his pocket and spilling what remained of the contents onto his hand. He looked back to Minho, giving him the empty bottle, onto which the boy placed a small paper talisman.

Gently placing the water over Seungmin’s forehead, Hyunjin closed his eyes, allowing the feeling of being taken out of his body to wash over him once again. 

He opened his eyes once again to see a faint shadow in front of him, standing in front of Minho. There was a slight tugging at the back of his head, and it was painful, it made him want to bash his head against the floor. Is this what Seungmin had to go through?

Hyunjin did as practiced, using only his mental strength to will out the spirit. The painful feeling swelled in his head, and he shut his eyes as tight as he could, letting out a pained whimper. 

He opened his eyes to a changed atmosphere. There was bright grass all around him, and a warm summer wind sending wisps of dandelion tufts twirling around him in a beautiful spiral. He looked ahead to see the manor, back when it was still new and beautiful. The windows were sparkling clean, the dark wooden boards glistening in the light, and a garden of colorful flowers decorating the windows.

A laugh fluttered through the air, turning Hyunjin around. 

There was a boy running past, followed by three others running behind him. He recognized the boy in front as Jisung, still young and  _ alive,  _ his light brown hair flowing freely and a smile crossing his face. His eyes sparkled with joy, and he held the hand of another boy behind him. Minho.

A younger Minho, a Minho with no troubles or worries. A Minho without bags under his eyes and sunken cheekbones, a Minho with full red blush crossing his cheeks and healthy tanned skin. A side of Minho that Hyunjin had never seen before.

Behind them followed Seungmin and Felix, the two boys chatting excitedly, their arms linked together, and smiles spread across their faces. Felix had clear brown freckles sprinkled over his face, even visible from a distance. Seungmin’s skin was tanned, a warm, happy color that turned into a deep red at his cheeks. He looked at Felix with so much joy. Hyunjin felt his heart sink.

The painful feeling returned to his head, stabbing into him like a needle. He took a deep breath, accepting the feelings that stabbed into his heart. Accepting his feelings of jealousy. Accepting the feelings of not being able to be here in this moment, to  _ really  _ be in this moment. 

The group entered the manor, laughing and shouting at each other, as teens do. The color began to fade from the picturesque scenery along with the stabbing pain in Hyunjin’s head, and he let out a choked sigh, closing his eyes once again. 

When he was back in his own body, his eyes flew to Seungmin, who was laying on the floor, groaning softly. He had his arms again, but there was still a faint blue glow around the boy.

“S-Seungmin! Wake up,” Hyunjin called, kneeling close to the boy. Minho joined him, kneeling softly near Seungmin’s head.

“Hey, can you hear me?” Hyunjin whimpered again, tapping the boy’s cheek lightly.

Seungmin let out a heavy breath, forcing himself to sit up. “My head feels clearer than it’s been in years,” He chuckled, shaking his hair, “I’d thank you, but this isn’t over yet.”

Hyunjin let out a confused noise. “Not over yet? What do you-”

With Seungmin’s eyes opening slowly, Hyunjin was disappointed to see a stark white, the same as before. His skin was still deathly pale. He was still… gone.

“That… that should’ve been it. You should be back to normal now, Seungmin, you have your arms, and you aren’t possessed anymore a-and-”

“Hyunjin, please. Thank you for your worries, but I knew it wasn’t going to be this easy. Bringing people back from the dead is something that requires a price.” Seungmin commanded, looking down to his arms, lifting and lowering them curiously. “Go check on Felix and the two brothers. Their energy definitely wasn’t stable when they first came into this house, and I’m worried.”

“B-But-”

“Hyunjin,” Seungmin’s voice softened, and he placed a cold hand to Hyunjin’s cheek. “Take it one step at a time. Go finish what you started.”

Hyunjin felt his cheeks heat up, and he pursed his lips in distress.

“He’s right,” Minho whispered, his voice low and barely audible. “We have to make sure we get rid of all the demons in this house. Then we’ll be able to discuss what to do next and hopefully head back to check on the girls. My grandfather’s manor is still… I need to see if it’s still up.”

Hyunjin spun his head back to Minho, pouting lightly, but picking himself up from the ground. His hand was still covered in tiny white petals from where he spilled the contents of the bottle, but he didn’t have the energy to meticulously pick them off.

“Will you be safe in here?” Hyunjin asked, sending a worried look to Seungmin, who still sat quietly on the floor.

“Yes,” Seungmin nodded, his eyes looking off into nothingness, “I just... finally have complete control over my thoughts… I need some time to think. To… remember who I am.”

Hyunjin lifted a hand to reach out to the boy, but Minho tugged at his sleeve, pulling him out of the room. 

A small series of shouts came from the next room where Changbin and Jeongin were. Hyunjin felt his shoulders tense. There was a muffled crash, and Hyunjin opened the door to a scene of a disaster.

Felix lay on the bed, hopefully asleep, and Jeongin hid behind a small drawer. Changbin stood wielding a long fire poker like a sword, the end of it still burning red. He was surrounded by a cloud of thick red dust that swallowed up his feet. He seemed like he was levitating.

“H-Hyunjin!” Jeongin yelled softly, his voice hoarse, “I-I don’t know what went wrong! I just… the spirit, it didn’t go into the jar! I don’t know why it didn’t go into the jar!”

“You know  _ damn well  _ why it didn’t go into the jar,” Changbin yelled back, his voice not his own. “Stop pretending like you don’t realize you’re a failure, Jeongin. You never could’ve been a witch!”

Jeongin looked towards Hyunjin with pained eyes. Tired eyes that were begging for an answer.

“He’s possessed too, isn’t he?” Minho whispered softly, his voice small and monotone.

He was given a small nod, but the booming voice of the spirit broke the tense silence.

“Oh, you guys are siding with him too, aren’t you?” The demon turned, stealing Changbin’s face and forcing him to smile. “Oh, how glad am I that this one is much weaker than the other. His emotions are shown right on his sleeve, aren’t they? Everything negative, just shown for the world to see. It’s so easy to cross the line, but he holds himself back. I wonder why?”

The demon turned to Jeongin, his head barely moving, like a statue. “You.” Red sparks fly as Changbin points the heated metal point towards his brother. “You’ve been the biggest nuisance to him lately. Isn’t that right, Hyunjin?"

“This is just like what Gowon mentioned, they’re trying to feed off of our negative emotions,” Hyunjin realized. He turned his head from Minho to Jeongin, who’s wide eyes glimmered with painful realization.

“Y-You said he wasn’t mad at me,” Jeongin murmured, “You knew he hated me all along! You… you lied to me!”

Hyunjin bit the inside of his cheek. “He doesn’t hate you, this is the demon talking! He’s trying to make you mad, but you can’t let him, Jeongin. Help us get the spirit out of him.”

Jeongin’s eyes began to glisten, and he clutched the edge of the drawer tighter. “But… But it’s the truth! I tried to be optimistic about it but he… he isn’t talking to me, he’s glaring at me across the table, every time we talk he’s always snapping and trying to get away from me... “ The boy’s eyes stared off into the distance, and he sniffled lightly.

“And why do you think you’re so special, dear brother?” Changbin smirked, walking closer to his brother, the red sparks still falling to the ground. “Do you really think your brother still loves you? Even after he found out that you’re a  _ witch?  _ ”

Hyunjin took a step towards the demon, eyes fluttering between the hot metal and the boy behind the drawer. “Changbin, step back.”

The words went unheard as Changbin took another step towards the young boy, the burning red inching closer to Jeongin’s forehead. The demon’s grin fell into a frown. An expression of disappointment. Hyunjin felt goosebumps crawl up his spine. 

“You should’ve died on that lake, you know.”

Jeongin let out a faint cry and Hyunjin grasped the brass staff with his hand, wincing at the searing pain it sent through his hand. He slapped his other hand to Changbin’s forehead, the hand with the petals on it, smearing the remaining liquid over his eyes.

A stabbing pain tore through the back of his mind, and he plunged back into the darkness.

  
  
  
  


It was different this time.

Hyunjin was no longer able to see his surroundings.

He was alone. All alone in a dark room. Was it a room? He couldn’t see any walls. Or a floor. Or a ceiling. All he could see was black.

“Hello?” Hyunjin called out, but he didn’t hear his voice. He wasn’t sure if he even made a sound.

He tried to take a step forward, but his feet were sunken into the ground, a black tar keeping him in place.  _ I just have to accept my fear, right?  _ Hyunjin thought, taking deep breaths and allowing himself to sink further into the tar.  _ That worked with Seungmin.  _

And so he kept sinking. The tar swallowed his shoes, it traveled up his legs, his waist, his arms, but he just kept sinking.

Something wasn’t right.

Hyunjin moved one arm in the tar, barely taking it out from the thick substance. The sky flashed with a dark gray, almost like a strike of lighting across a bleak black sky. He narrowed his eyes, moving his other, broken arm in the tar. So this was it. He had to fight against his fate.

It was painful, but Hyunjin managed to get both arms out, using his palms to push himself further up and out, the oily tar dripping off of his clothes in large chunks.

Finally, his waist was free, then his legs, and more flashes struck against the bleak dark abyss above him. He got his feet above the tar, finally being able to walk across it. The floor began to solidify, and in the blink of an eye, the scenery began to emerge in front of him. 

It was the bakery. A smaller and thinner Changbin stood at the register, cheerily taking orders from townspeople who came inside. His younger brother stood grabbing at his pant leg, his cheeks full and hair sticking out at every end. 

Behind him stood two older people, a man, and a woman, both with raven black hair. Their… parents?

Changbin smiled cheerily, passing a slip of paper to his parents, who took it with a smile and a small tap on his nose. 

The moment seemed so happy and warm, Hyunjin simply took a while to stand in the midst of it all, remembering the times he had spent with his own family. He remembered making earrings for the first time with his grandfather, meeting Jihyo’s baby for the first time, and holding her in his hands, taking trips with his parents to visit quarries or mines to learn more about gemstones. He missed them. For the first time in a long time, he missed his parents.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Hyunjin didn’t know how long he had stood in place, simply watching the bakery scene play out in front of him like a movie. He was harshly brought back to reality with a soft pain in the back of his head, and feelings of longing and loneliness. 

He opened his eyes to see Changbin staring at the fire poker in his hands, in  _ their  _ hands, the edge no longer red and burning, but now cold and brittle, as if it was never lit in the first place.

Without a word, Jeongin stood up from his place behind the drawer, rubbing his eyes with his sleeves and standing by Minho, grabbing the older’s sleeve for comfort.

“Changbin,” Hyunjin started, letting go of the brass to realize that it hadn’t even left a mark, “We’ll talk about this later.”

Changbin gave him a dozed nod in response, letting go of the brass poker and letting it drop to the ground with a clang.

Hyunjin turned to Jeongin, the younger still hiding behind Minho. “Is Felix ok, at least?”

He nodded with hesitation, looking to the boy still asleep on the bed. “I think it took a lot out of him, so he’s unconscious. The spirit must have had a really good hold on his soul… I can’t imagine what’ll happen to Jisung…”

At the mention of his name, the group fell quiet. They listened for the crashing of swords but were met with a loud silence.

The group ran out of the room, leaning over the banister to look into the foyer. Chan was leaned against the wall, clutching his side and breathing heavily. Bambam was sat next to him, sitting completely on the floor but still holding the sword out in front of him in defense.

“Did you all do your part?” Bambam yelled, his voice strained.

Hyunjin gave him a hesitant yes in response, already heading down the staircase. The stairs were still broken and shifting as he walked, but they were stable enough to climb down. 

“Where’s Jisung?” Hyunjin asked, looking around the foyer. “I don’t see him anywhere…” Hyunjin trailed off as he got closer to Chan, the vampire holding a piece of his jacket to his side, the material stained with red and seeping onto the floor.

“He’ll be fine,” Bambam answered, noticing the worry in Hyunjin’s eyes. “You still have the candytuft water, right?”

Feeling around his pockets, Hyunjin panicked. “I don’t think I have any more left…” He admitted, looking to Changbin and Jeongin.

Changbin dug through his coat pocket to take out a small vial of the petal filled water, handing it to Hyunjin. “I think it’s better if  _ you  _ do this.”

“W-Wait, me?” Hyunjin gasped, looking between the vampires and the small group of witches. “S-Shouldn’t we get someone more qualified? I mean…” 

He was stared down by the rest of the boys. It was obvious that he was the only one they trusted enough to do this. Even Minho looked to him with sad eyes.

“He’ll be in the reading room,” Chan told him, “The boards should be simple to rip apart, just… be careful in front of the mirror. Please.”

A shiver ran down Hyunjin’s back. “Why the mirror?” He asked.

“Jisung’s able to control fire, meaning, he also has some limited control over the sun, since it’s a ball of fire. If you step in front of the mirror, he’ll burn you alive like an ant under a magnifying glass.”

“Oh, wonderful,” Hyunjin gulped, looking at the small veil in his hands.

Chan chuckled, then let out a series of small coughs, “When you’re ready, call out to us and Jeongin or Minho will help capture the spirit.”

Hyunjin nodded hesitantly.

He began to walk towards the living he had been forbidden from entering for what seemed like months. Hyunjin turned to take one last look at the group.

Bambam had already taken his attention back to Chan, holding a gentle hand to the man’s shoulder, giving him comfort with soft, hushed words.

Jeongin stood at Minho’s side, his eyes shaking. His thoughts were so loud, Hyunjin could almost hear them screaming. Minho’s eyes were glazed over, still thrumming with thoughts, but not as loudly as Jeongin. Minho was quiet. If there was any glitter of joy in his eyes before, it was gone now.

Changbin was the only one who looked directly at Hyunjin. He held his hands to his side, seemingly fighting his words. His expression grew worried and Hyunjin froze in place, unable to turn away from him.

In a matter of seconds, Hyunjin wrapped his arms around the other, pulling him close to his chest. “I’ll be back,” He whispered, “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

Changbin raised one arm to press it against Hyunjin’s back, taking a fistful of his jacket. “You bastard, I wasn’t worried about you in the first place…” 

His voice shook as he spoke, and he pushed Hyunjin away with a sniffle. Changbin’s worried expression dropped, replaced with soft eyes and furrowed brows. “Get back out here as soon as possible. I’ll be standing watch.”

Hyunjin gave him a stern nod, turning back around and walking to the living room with a smile.

  
  
  
  
  
  


It felt as if the temperature had dropped several degrees as soon as Hyunjin stepped into the room.

He glanced nervously at the mirror, looming over him from the floor to the ceiling. He thought he could just crawl behind the couch to avoid being in the way of the mirror, but of course, nothing was going to go his way.

The couch began to move slowly from its place in the middle of the room, before swiftly flying past Hyunjin’s head and blocking the exit. Hyunjin stood frozen as multiple other pieces of furniture flew towards the doorway behind him, completely blocking any view back into the foyer. 

He heard muffled yells from the other side, and there were a few loud knocks, causing a small drawer to slide open and spill its contents onto the floor.

They were small drawings. Caricatures, specifically. Small, funnily drawn faces with stick bodies, all holding hands in a circle. Some drawings were more detailed, and Hyunjin was able to tell that they were drawings of the four boys. Two drawings in particular stood out to him.

One was the smallest paper, but the most detailed. It seemed like every stroke of the pencil was perfectly placed, and the utmost care was put into the weight of the lines. It was a drawing of Minho, with a closed, relaxed smile, and big round eyes with twinkling spots of light. There was only one word written on the corner of the page.  _ Moonlight. _

The next was a larger piece, but the lines were quicker, sharper, and created energy on the still paper they were drawn onto. It was definitely Jisung, but with an intensity and vigor in his eyes that Hyunjin had never been able to see. It, too, had something written in the corner.  _ My Sun. _

Hyunjin held the two drawings in his hands, a chill running up his spine when he felt the coldness of a shadow fall behind him.

“They’re interesting, aren’t they?” The voice mused, “It’s too bad they’ll never be able to go back to that.”

“So Jisung and Minho were… together?” Hyunjin asked, his voice low, speaking to himself. “That’s so…”

“Sad? I thought so too,” The ghost replied, “I mean, look at them-”

“ _ Fucked up  _ is what I was going to say, actually.” Hyunjin rose from the floor to stand face-to-face with the ghost, his stark white eyes boring holes into Hyunjin’s own. “You took everything from them. And for what? For your entertainment? They had friends, they had  _ families _ , and you-”

The ghost laughed, the corners of his mouth turning up painfully. “Can’t you get this through your head already? We’re demons! We feed off of your negative energy! The hurt and pain and delicious  _ regret  _ that one must be feeling right now must be so immense… If only I could take Cain’s role for a day, just a day!” 

Hyunjin couldn’t take any more. He pushed the ghost away from him, surprised when his palms hit the solid material of Jisung’s suit. A dark navy, ruffled flowing freely from the pendant at his neck. 

“We’re going to do this the hard way, aren’t we?” The ghost scoffed, reaching out a hand to the door. A picture frame began to shake, and one side of its thin silver frame broke off from the rest, flinging itself into Jisung’s open hand. The edges were sharp, and Hyunjin began to back away, his back flush against the furniture blocking the exit. He put his hand on the rapier in his belt loop. 

Jisung swung first, the steel frame scratching at the long fabric of Hyunjin’s coat. Hyunjin took another step to the side, taking out his sword and holding it out in front of him. He had enough practice with Chan. He should be able to win, right?

Right?

The pair danced across the floor as Jisung swung the piece of steel, Hyunjin making sure to stay out of the way of the mirror.

Jisung guided him across the floor, trying to push him in front of the mirror at every chance he had. Hyunjin could barely catch his breath, blocking Jisung’s swings with his own thin sword. The rapier trembled with every block, the thin sword barely able to defend against the steel frame.

They danced across the floor, a heavy wind pressing on Hyunjin’s heels. He held his sword out in front of him to block, the vibrations shuddering through his arm. With a swing from Jisung, a sharp wind blew Hyunjin dangerously close to the mirror. 

“Fuck,” He dug his heel into the ground with a grunt, taking his eyes off the ghost for a moment to regain his balance. He was back on his feet again in a split second, his posture straightening and his breath slowing down for the first time in what felt like an eternity.

“What’s that?” The ghost challenged, “Are you tired already?” He picked up the silver edge with malice, pointing it towards Hyunjin again. “Don’t tell me you’ve given up-”

Hyunjin rushed forward with his rapier, swinging at the ghost’s side, but never making a hit.

The ghost only laughter as he swiftly evaded Hyunjin’s attacks, skipping across the floor with a wide smile. Breath growing heavier, Hyunjin felt his pockets for the small bottle with candytufts that Changbin had given him. He clutched it tightly, staring the ghost down. His rapier tilted up, pointing at the ghost’s neck. Jisung took a step forward, bringing forth his weapon. 

Just as the rapier made contact with the ghost’s neck, the silver frame bit into Hyunjin’s. He felt the silver edge press against his throat - not breaking skin, but being dangerously close to it. Jisung smiled widely, as if he already knew he’d won. Hyunjin kept his stern expression, staring into the ghosts glowing white eyes.

“Where do we go from here, I wonder?” Jisung mused, pressing forward. Hyunjin did the same.

The pair began to circle each other, maintaining tense eye contact as their feet shuffled across the floor. 

Hyunjin’s eyes flashed as he threw his head back, swinging his sword into the ghost’s side and finally managing to hit his side.

“Fuck!” The ghost yelled, clutching at his side, falling to the floor with rage storming in his eyes. 

Hyunjin used this short moment of hesitation to run across the room, spirting in front of the mirror and slamming into the boards covering the entrance of the reading room. He spent a lot of time in this room at Minho’s manor. He knew there was another door behind the wooden boards. If he could just pry them off the door, he could-

“And where do you think you’re going?” He heard a sly voice ask, and there was a sharp pain at the bottom of his calf. 

Hyunjin tried to grasp the boards across the door, but his only free hand was the injured one, and the pain he felt was blinding, sending him falling to the floor. Turning around, he stared into Jisung’s eyes, the ghost staring him down further into the floor.

“Why would you want to go in there, Hyunjin?” Jisung asked, “What do you think you’ll find?”

Jisung wasn’t smiling anymore. His expression was stoic, his eyes wide and interrogating. It sparked fear in Hyunjin’s mind.

But he didn’t know. He didn’t know what he’d find in the reading room, he didn’t even know why Jisung tried so hard to protect it. All he knew was that there was a purpose to the room, something tugging him towards it, something asking him to rip apart the wooden boards, throw open the door and-

Jisung stepped a foot down on Hyunjin’s left arm, leaving the boy grimacing on the cold, wooden floor. 

“You’ve lost, Hwang Hyunjin,” The ghost stated matter-of-factly, staring into Hyunjin’s eyes with a cold glare. 

“How do you know my-” Jisung stepped further into Hyunjin’s arm, and the boy let out a low groan. “Tell me, how do you know my last name!?”

Jisung didn’t answer for a moment, his eyes looking from side to side. “Hmm… I guess you never knew much about little miss Yeji, did you?”

Hyunjin winced as Jisung raised the broken frame back to his neck, holding it to the soft part of his throat. “You should really know more about her. She’s the one who opened Pandora’s box and ran, after all."

Hyunjin decided that he had heard enough, using his good arm to grab at the broken frame and break it out of Jisung’s grip. The ghost tried to press a cold hand to Hyunjin’s throat, but his frame was smaller and lighter than Hyunjin’s. He couldn’t hold him down without his weapon.

Hyunjin threw the ghost onto his back, using his good arm to hold him down with both arms above his head. With his injured arm, he finally took out the bottle of delicate flowers, smashing it against the ground next to them and smearing his hand through the glass.

“Go to hell,” Hyunjin yelled - loud enough for the boys outside to hear, he hoped.

With a trembling and blood-stained hand, he spread the painted water over Jisungs head, wincing as pieces of glass pierced his skin. And the world began to fade.

  
  
  
  
  
  


It was different again. Seungmin’s headspace felt real, as if he was still in the real world. Changbin’s headspace felt like… nothingness. It was empty, taking away all hope. Jisung’s headspace, though… Jisung’s thoughts were loud. 

The walls around him seemed to scream with agonizing fear, and Hyunjin covered his ears with his hands. He saw faces in the walls. They were mostly indistinguishable, except for a few familiar expressions. Seungmin, Felix…

Minho.

Minho’s expression didn’t scream like the rest of them. He didn’t look like he was in pain. Minho’s face was stoic, looking down on Hyunjin as if he were merely an insect. It was the same look Jisung gave him when he tried to go into the reading room. The same look he saw on Minho’s face when they saved him from the lake. The face of complete apathy.

Was this the last face Jisung saw from Minho? How long has it been? No wonder Jisung felt so afraid.

Hyunjin squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the sound of the screams, but the noise was too loud. There was no way he was going to leave on his own. He couldn’t risk letting Jisung loose again. Not after all they had done. It was too painful. He was scared. He was afraid. What would become of him if he didn’t escape? He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t. He’d be stuck here for eternity, no way out.

Jisung was right. Hyunjin had lost. He’d lost from the very beginning. From the second he stepped into the manor on his first day in Yellowood, his life only took a downward spiral. He was supposed to be with his family, making beautiful sets of jewelry and carving gemstones into dainty shapes. He should be having happy dinners and warm evenings under the sun, taking a seat in the sunroom, and basking in the glory of the bright sky.

He shouldn’t be stuck here. He shouldn’t be… and yet he is.

Hyunjin opened his eyes, his ears growing accustomed to the raging noise of the faces. 

Fate brought him here for a reason. There were people here who he had promised to protect. People who he couldn’t give up on.

Hyunjin had never given up, and he wasn’t about to start now.

Standing up from his place on the dusty red ground, Hyunjin walked up to the wall of faces. He spotted Seungmin, the boy’s expression filled with unimaginable agony. He placed a hand to its cheek. It stopped screaming. Not even a second later, the next face stopped screaming. Then the next, and the next, and so on until the room became silent.

Hyunjin stood in the middle of it all, looking around at the faces, their expressions lost and confused. 

“I’ll help you,” He murmured, “I made a promise to save you. I’ll… I’ll keep that promise.”

And then the wailing began.

Tears began to flow out of their eyes, water slowly covering the floor at an unimaginable speed. Hyunjin took a step back, holding his feet above the quickly rising water. Before he knew it, it was at his knees. His waist. His shoulders. His nose. And soon enough, he became engulfed in the ocean of tears.

  
  
  
  


Air returned to him again after only a moment. A scenery built itself in front of him just as it did with Seungmin and Changbin. He was inside the reading room, he noticed. There was a bright light shining through the windows on the walls, surrounding the circular room. Hyunjin found himself sitting on a bench built along the wall, sitting across a table in the middle of the room.

He saw Jisung, bright-faced and chubby-cheeked, sprawled out across the bench. He held a small book in his hands, laying on his back and flipping the pages eagerly. The door to the reading room opened softly. 

“Hello, anyone home?” The voice sang cheerily. Minho.

“Yeah, yeah,” Jisung answered absent-mindedly, “I just have to finish this one book…”

“Again?” Minho huffed, finally entering the room. He held two smalls cups filled with some type of beverage, but Hyunjin couldn’t tell what it was. 

“You’re in here all the time,” Minho complained jokingly, “It’s like you don’t even know the rest of the manor exists, you just spend all your time cooped up in this tiny room. Have you had breakfast?”

Jisung let out a soft laugh, nodding his head. “I ate this morning with the other two while you were out,” He smiled, “Aren’t you tired? Going all the way down to town and back is exhausting.”

With a soft sigh, Minho smiled, sitting by Jisungs waist and laying down softly on the younger, burying his face into his neck.

“I guess I  _ am  _ a bit tired…” Minho mumbled, “Can I sleep here?”

Without a word, Jisung brought Minho closer to his chest. The older threw his feet up on the small bench, making himself comfortable on Jisung’s chest, the light spreading lightly over his shining brown hair. Jisung flipped a few more pages of the book before looking down at the sleeping boy. 

Setting the book down on the table, he let out a soft sigh, leaning his head back against the bench.

“I love you, Lee Minho,” Jisung mumbled, running his hand through the boy’s hair.

“Mmph,” Minho responded, his face still scrunched between Jisungs shoulder and the cushion of the bench.

  
  
  
  


Hyunjin didn’t remember when he woke up again.

He wished he didn’t, though.

There was a throbbing pain in his arm, in his hand, in the back of his leg. He could only let out a soft whine as he opened his eyes, looking above him to see the chandelier of the manor’s foyer.

“Hyunjin! You’re awake!” He heard from his side. Jeongin sat next to him, his head hovering over Hyunjin. “How are you feeling? Can you move? Can you talk?”

The younger boy spoke frantically, his eyes searching vigorously over Hyunjin’s face.

“Jeongin, don’t stress the poor guy out. He’s probably been through a lot,” He heard Chan sigh. Jeongin pouted quietly, settling back onto the ground and setting his hands in his lap.

“Hey, Hyunjin,” He nearly jumped at the voice, “Behind you!”

Hyunjin tilted his head back, coming face-to-face with Seungmin. The boy wore a tired, but hopeful smile on his face. He was almost glowing. Hyunjin smiled back.

“Hey,” He murmured, “How are you in the foyer again?”

“That’s the good news,” Seungmin began, “Now that the spirits are gone, I have full control over my body again. I wasn’t cooperating with the demons, so they made me weaker. Now that they’re gone, I can travel around the manor however I’d like. I just… can’t leave the manor. It’s like something is pulling me back here.”

“Like a rubber band?”

“What the hell is a rubber band?”

Hyunjin blinked. “Oh, right, those were only invented 5 years ago…”

Seungmin held his head in his hands. “I have a lot to catch up on, don’t I?”

A bright chuckle escaped Hyunjin’s lips, and Jeongin chuckled along with them.

“You can’t laugh just yet,” Seungmin scolded lightly, “There’s still bad news.”

“Can’t we just skip the bad news?” Hyunjin frowned. He looked into Seungmin’s bright white eyes. He had a unique eye shape. Hyunjin decided it was his favorite.

“It’s… not that bad,” Seungmin assured, “We found out that the last step to getting our lives back is to reconnect our souls with our bodies. As of right now, I’m walking around in a physical body, but it’s merely an empty shell. I can’t feel emotion like the rest of you. All we need to do is find our bodies and remove the soul, then place it into this,  _ fresh _ , body.”

“Please don’t say it like that ever again,” Jeongin cringed. Seungmin laughed.

“This won’t be the same as simple as removing a spirit from a body, or what you all did today,” Seungmin continued to explain. “Since you guys are removing a soul, you’ll need to take over the body and ‘speak’ with the host. Since these are dead bodies we’re talking about, it’ll be a form of necromancy.”

Hyunjin shivered. He’d heard of necromancy before, but only in stories and old tales his parents used to tell him. He never expected them to be real.

“So, we’ll have to find someone who practices necromancy?” Chan asked, inching closer to the trio. He had a bandage on his side, but no longer looked like he was in any pain. Bambam sat close behind him, watching his husband’s every move.

“Either that or one of you will have to become a necromancer,” Seungmin shrugged, looking down onto Hyunjin’s face. Hyunjin felt his glare, but Seungmin wasn’t looking into his eyes. Was he looking at… his hair?

“What…” Jeongin hesitated, “What would it take for one of us to become a necromancer? If we had to go that route, I mean.”

Seungmin looked up, deep in thought, and Chan furrowed his brows.

“Jeongin, you’re still young. Don’t even  _ think  _ about trying something like that,” Chan reprimanded, sending a stern glare to the younger.

“I’m a soul witch, Chan, and I can’t even work with simple spirits! I even failed to catch the demon in the jar today… Maybe, just maybe my magic will be more suited to people than spirits-”

“Jeongin. I said no. End of discussion.” 

Chan turned his back to the boy, shaking his head and speaking softly to Bambam, who gave a sad look to the younger.

“How’s the haircut been working out for you?” Seungmin suddenly cut in, ripping Hyunjin away from the small argument.

His cheeks grew red, and he picked up his right arm to lightly pick at his bangs. “It’s… It’s better now than before, thank you.”

Seungmin continued to stare down at Hyunjin, his eyes finally meeting Hyunjin’s. Blush spread across his face and heat ran to the tips of his ears, but Hyunjin let out a soft smile. Seungmin’s expression was unreadable - the lack of a soul, perhaps - but Hyunjin saw his eyes glimmering. He saw the light bags under his eyes and the small details in his skin. He was glowing. He may still be pale and blue, but to Hyunjin, he was the brightest one in the room.

A light cough resonated from beside Hyunjin, and he saw Jeongin looking between the two uncomfortably.

Hyunjin stared at the younger, and Jeongin stared back. The only sound was the patter of rain against the windows and the light chatter on Bambam and Chan. An awkward silence fell between them, but Seungmin refused to budge.

“So…” Hyunjin started, “Where’s everyone else?” His breath hitched in his throat. “What happened to Jisung?”

Jeongin’s shoulders lowered, and he let out a tired sigh. “Jisung and Felix are still asleep. It turns out Jisung was  _ stabbed _ ,” He sent a pointed look towards Hyunjin, “So we had to take care of him.”

“And… the other two?”

“Changbin’s staying with Felix until he wakes up,” Jeongin answered indifferently, “Minho… He said he couldn’t stay here any longer. He left to go back to his grandfather's manor about an hour ago.”

Hyunjin frowned, looking straight up at the ceiling once again. His eyes flickered to Seungmin’s face sometimes, the boy still staring down at his, and he held back the urge to stare back.

He sat for a moment longer, letting the weight of his own body push him down to the floor.

“Hey, Jeongin?” He spoke.

“What is it?” The younger boy answered.

“What does my arm look like?”

Jeongin grimaced. “You don’t wanna know,” He cringed, “It’s all mushy and red and purple and green-”

“Okay, I get it, you can stop. How’s my leg then?”

Jeongin looked down at Hyunjin’s leg before returning to look him in the eye. “It’s a bit deep but it’s better than what you did to Jisung. Minho was yelling at you while you were passed out. He tried to yell quietly but I heard it.”

“Will he be okay?” Hyunjin asked with a guilty expression. 

“Eventually,” Jeongin sighed, “As long as he doesn’t bleed out too much.”

“I don’t think I like swords anymore,” Hyunjin moaned dramatically, holding one arm over his eyes in shame.

“You did what you have to do, Hyunjin,” Seungmin suddenly spoke up, and Hyunjin almost jumped. 

“You’re not mad that I stabbed your friend?” He asked, his eyes dropping with worry.

“I probably will be once I get my soul, don’t worry!” Seungmin gave him a small smile, his teeth shining as bright as his white eyes.

Hyunjin groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO GLAD this is finally picking up again !!!! there's going to be a lot of mysteries uncovered and secrets spilled and growth and drama in the next few chapters, so hopefully they'll be much more interesting than these first 12, since we have the whole gang together now !!
> 
> edit: 09/15 heyyy i know its been a while since i updated but school is taking up a lot more time than i expected !! i promise im still writing out the next chapter but its taking me a LOT longer than i thought  
> ill try to stick to regular schedule but i cant determine when ch13 will get done yet :((( especially since i usually try to hit a 7k word minimum on my chapters ;; please have patience 😭😭💖💖
> 
> also this whole fic was inspired by Graveyard Whistling by autumnjjong!! so if u like skz and ghosts please check our their fic too !!! 
> 
> \--next chapter: "Seeing the moon rise higher into the sky made Hyunjin even more tired, and he found himself sinking further into the boy’s shoulder. Maybe he’ll let his guard down this once. Just this once."--


	13. the stubborn and the proud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cw // minor animal death and . yet another building fire.

By the end of the day, Hyunjin was up and walking yet again.

Well, limping would be more accurate.

Jeongin told him to stay off his leg, and Hyunjin didn’t have an excuse to argue. Every step on the bandaged leg would send a string up pain up his spine, and he couldn’t even use his left arm to keep himself balanced. Jeongin found him a long stick in the backyard for Hyunjin to lean on, and the older couldn’t find an excuse to refuse.

They had only stayed in the manor long enough for Felix to wake up, the freckled boy waking up with a start and startling Changbin, who sat by his side. In the other room lay Jisung, breathing softly on the small couch, sometimes releasing a ragged breath and catching the attention of Bambam, who stood guard at the door.

“...How are you feeling?” Changbin eventually asked, cutting through the thick silence of the room. He and Felix stared at each other for a moment longer, Felix’s hand dangerously close to Changbin’s now that the younger was sitting up. Changbin moved his hand away.

“Fine,” Was the boy’s answer, after yet another short pause. “Something feels… different.”

It wasn’t that Changbin hadn’t heard the ginger’s deep voice before, it was just that it took some… getting used to. It sounded like honey and chamomile, and Changbin couldn’t help but take a moment to let the ringing sound sink into this head. “You… You don’t have a soul, I believe. Seungmin woke up facing the same dilemma.”

Blinking slowly, Felix brought his legs closer to his chest, hugging them softly. “I… don’t have a soul?” He breathed, “No, no that can’t be it...”

The boy’s pale fingers played with the fabric of his socks, the white cotton reaching up to his knee and overlapping the black fabric of his pants. His hands were small, Changbin noticed, and the white fabric got caught behind his nails whenever he plucked at his socks.

Clearing his throat, Changbin shifted on the edge of the small couch. He averted his gaze to the door, where Hyunjin, Seungmin, and Jeongin were just coming in, Chan following close behind, but staying at the door.

“Oi, Felix!” Seungmin called out softly, “How’s it like not having a soul? Strange, isn’t it?”

A confused expression spread across Felix’s face. “Are you sure? That doesn’t-”

Seungmin threw himself onto the couch, slouching his back against Felix’s, nudging him lightly with his arms.

“It’s nice having arms, you know? I think I missed them,” Seungmin spoke, holding his hands out in front of them and staring at his fingers.

A light inhale came from Felix. “Oh, that’s right. Legs!”

Hyunjin let out a small sigh as he watched the two, sighing even louder when he made eye contact with Changbin. The older had the same, hopeless look in his eyes.

“Are you feeling okay, Felix?” Hyunjin finally asked, watching as the boy turned his head slowly to look at him. His white eyes looked so empty.

“Yes, I’m feeling good,” He answered seriously. The tone almost made Hyunjin cringe. “I just have to get used to this…” He looked to Seungmin cautiously, “No soul, thing.”

“...Are you able to walk?” 

Felix took another look at the pair of legs that he was still holding onto. He stretched one out in front of him, using Seungmin’s back as support. Then he stretched the other, kicking them as if to test if they work. 

“Yes,” He responded.

Jeongin cleared his throat, catching the attention of the four boys. “If you’re able to walk, then we have to get going. Minho’s probably back at his grandfather’s manor by now, and we have to go see if the girls are okay.”

Changbin stared at the boy as he walked away. The light from his eyes began to dim, and he quickly stood up from the couch. 

“Yea, we should probably get going,” He mumbled, “I wish we still had that little red wagon, though.”

Seungmin flipped his position on the couch, sitting on his knees to face Changbin. “Huh? What little red wagon?”

“It’s… It’s a long story,” Changbin hesitated, “But it would help a lot to just wheel Jisung around instead of having to carry him…”

He hummed in understanding, standing up from the couch and taking Felix by the hand, helping the boy up. Hyunjin felt himself staring in jealousy.

Changbin walked out of the room, going next door to pick up Jisung, carefully carrying the boy in his arms.

“Hey, Hyunjin,” The older carried Jisung bridal style, throwing him up into the air and catching him in his arms once again, “Do you think souls have a weight?”

The question confused Hyunjin, and all he could do was stare. “Do souls… have a weight? What are you talking about?”

To show his point, Changbin threw Jisung into the air once more, catching him effortlessly. “He’s so light, Hyunjin.”

“Are you sure it’s not those tree trunks for arms you have?” Hyunjin scoffed.

“No! No, Hyunjin! He’s the weight of a few jars of jam at _most_! If I could give him to you to carry I would but you’re…” He motioned to Hyunjin’s makeshift wooden cane, and the bandaged arm the younger held to his chest, “You know.”

Hyunjin could only glare in response. “I’m fine, Changbin. Come here, let me try carrying him! I can do it!”

“You’re an idiot,” Changbin scoffed, slowly backing away from Hyunjin with an amused grin. In an attempt to start a chase, Hyunjin took a quick step forward, but his knee buckled from under him and he held onto the small stick for dear life.

“Maybe you’re right,” Hyunjin laughed lightly, still trying to catch his balance. 

A burst of bright laughter caught Hyunjin’s attention, and he turned to see Jeongin and Bambam having a small conversation as the ghosts listened in. Chan held a hand on Seungmin’s head, holding him protectively. He caught Changbin looking at them too, the same look of hopelessness in his eyes, but stricken with sadness.

“Are you planning on saying anything?” Hyunjin mumbled softly, his eyes turning back to the small group.

There was a tense moment of hesitation in the air. Changbin opened his mouth to speak, but let out a soft exhale.

“What is there to say?” He murmured back, “He doesn’t even want to look at me, does he?”

“You can still heal from this, Changbin. Think about what you want to say while we walk to the manor.”

“Will you help me?”

Hyunjin shook his head. “I’ll be there to support you, but this is your brother, not mine.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


The small group managed to make it down the mountain in one piece - no stumbles, no rain, no arguments. It felt like a breath of fresh air to Hyunjin, and he let out a sigh of relief as they stepped back onto the cold cobblestone roads of the town. 

The moon was already shining brightly in the sky when they reached the town, and there was a large shadow cast on the buildings. The remains of a faint glow covered the distant trees with hints of orange and red, tiny flakes of ash littering the air.

“Do you think they’re ok?” Bambam asked from the front of the group, “The fire looks like it finally died down, but…”

He didn’t speak his thoughts out loud, but the Hyunjin knew what he meant. Just because the fire was out didn’t mean the girls had won.

“That’s just more of a reason to get there quicker,” Chan reasoned, “Changbin - are you okay with carrying Jisung or would you like me to take him?”

Changbin’s head snapped to look at Chris, his eyes finally focusing on Chan. “Oh, huh? I-I can carry him! He isn’t that heavy…”

A doubtful expression fell over Chan’s face, but the vampire shrugged and took Bambam’s hand. “I just hope they’re ok…” He mumbled, quickening his pace as they walked.

Hyunjin made an annoyed noise as he struggled to keep up, the walking stick only able to hold so much of his weight. If he leaned on it too much, it would snap, but if he put too much pressure on his foot, his knee would give out and send him tumbling to the floor. 

His pained expression towards Changbin went unnoticed, the other boy too caught up in his own thoughts to notice his surroundings. Chan and Bambam were in front of the group, speaking so softly to each other that even Hyunjin couldn’t hear. Jeongin was walking right beside them, too far away from Hyunjin, he didn’t even want to bother calling out. And that left-

“Do you… need some help?”

The sweet voice brought Hyunjin out of his thoughts, and he turned to see Seungmin looking to him curiously.

“I- Uh, I’m fine, actually,” Hyunjin mumbled in return.

An expression that could only be described as “pitiful” crossed Seungmin’s face, and he held out his arms towards Hyunjin.

“Here - stop walking. I’ll carry you like Changbin is. We can’t have you falling too far behind the group with your leg like that.”

Hyunjin let out a hollow laugh at the comment. “Are you saying I’m weak?”

“Yes,” Was Seungmin’s answer, nonchalant and straight-faced.

It was surprising to Hyunjin, how easily the answer came out of him, but he quickly reminded himself that Seungmin, in fact, was traveling without a soul. It didn’t mean it didn’t hurt, though.

“You don’t have to carry me, then. I’m _not_ weak-” Hyunjin huffed, but he was already being swept off the ground. 

“Yeah, we get it, werewolf,” Seungmin joked, “You can walk on a broken leg after just hours, your wounds heal in mere minutes. What’s next, you’re immortal too?” 

Hyunjin pouted, his ears growing red as Seungmin tossed him lightly, carrying him like a child.

“Seungmin, really, I’m fine! I’m probably heavy anyway you can just-”

“He used to carry us all on his back when he was younger,” Felix cut in, taking Hyunjin’s walking stick from his hands and removing his last attempt at escape. “Minho was able to carry two people on his back when we were young, and, you know. Monkey see, monkey do.”

Satisfied with the praise, Seungmin smiled softly to Felix. 

“That-! That doesn’t mean-”

“C’mon, the manor isn’t that far away,” Seungmin reassured, “Just close your eyes and take a rest. You had a tough time last night. I’ll wake you up when we get close.”

Felix came around his shoulder to press Hyunjin’s head down, patting his hair down and sweeping it out of his eyes.

Seeing the moon rise higher into the sky made Hyunjin even more tired, and he found himself sinking further into the boy’s shoulder. Maybe he’ll let his guard down this once. Just this once.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Hyunjin awoke with a cough.

It was getting difficult to breathe as they walked further up the hill, and he raised a hand to his mouth, covering his nose. 

“Oh, you’re awake?” Seungmin sounded surprised, his clear voice tearing through the suffocating atmosphere.

“Well, I am _now,_ ” Hyunjin complained. Judging by the many trees and smog around them, they were getting pretty close, but Hyunjin wasn’t going to let this conversation die. “How close are we again?”

“I have no idea. I’ve never been to Minho’s grandfather’s manor before.”

Oh, right.

“It’s the same layout as the manor we were just in, you have nothing to worry about,” Hyunjin assured.

Seungmin giggled. “I never said I was worried.”

Letting out an annoyed huff, Hyunjin shut his eyes. The ashy air was starting to burn. In a moment of impulse, Hyunjin shoved his face further into Seungmins blue jacket, the cool satin material provided a small source of comfort.

Seungmin tossed him lightly, bringing his arms up and further into his chest. “The air’s been like this ever since we walked into the forest,” Seungmin explained, “It’s only been getting worse.”

“I can tell,” Hyunjin grumbled, the fabric dampening his voice, “Are the others doing fine?”

A light hum rang as Seungmin took a moment to look at the others. “Well, Chan and Bambam seem to be doing just fine. Jeongin and Changbin, on the other hand, can’t seem to handle it as well.” He let out a light chuckle, and Hyunjin picked his head up to see.

Sure enough, Jeongin was getting a ride on Bambam’s shoulders, the older sticking close to his husband, he held a small notebook in his hands. Changbin was walking slightly behind them, his eyes shut tightly as Felix guided him. In his hands lay Jisung, still as motionless as before.

“Mm,” Hyunjin mumbled, shoving his face back into Seungmin’s chest, “Jisung still hasn’t moved, has he?” 

“No, he’s still asleep,” Seungmin’s voice wavered slightly as he spoke.

“Do you know when he’ll wake up?”

“...No.”

The word was softly spoken, and Hyunjin knew it was time to drop the subject. He cradled his arm further towards his chest, picking lightly at the bandages. His leg wasn’t feeling as bad as before, the stinging pain turning into more of a soreness. It was either that, or they were just numb from hanging in the air for so long.

Hyunjin let of out a cough, the dust beginning to hit the back of his throat. He brought up an arm to his face, pulling up his sleeve to cover his nose. 

“Aren’t you being affected by this too?” Hyunjin asked.

“I just have a high tolerance to pain,” Seungmin laughed, “Felix has had his eyes shut for a majority of the time as well.”

“Isn’t he guiding Changbin?”

“I- Well, I _did_ have to help them out a few times.”

He giggled into Seungmin’s chest, coughing lightly again as only dust and ash entered his lungs.  
  
  
  
  


They walked in silence for the rest of the trek. If anyone had spoken, Hyunjin couldn’t hear over the sound of coughing in the air. Seungmin had also grown tired of the ash, occasionally rubbing his head into his shoulder, trying to get the dust out of his eyes.

“I’ll go find the girls,” Chan suddenly called out, and Hyunjin assumed that they had arrived.

His suspicions were confirmed when Seungmin shook him lightly, whispering a light, “We’re here.”

Hyunjin opened his eyes to see the manor burned nearly to the ground, the only remains of the second floor being large pillars that stood up from the black rubble on the ground. The sight alone made Hyunjin’s eyes tear up, but not from the ash.

“I- I have to go look for Minho,” Jeongin jumped down from Bambam’s shoulders, scrambling into the forest at their left. The older chased after him.

A blank expression ran over Changbin’s face, and he slowly walked towards Hyunjin.

“Where…” He began, looking to the manor, the structure nearly leveled to the ground and leaving the garden behind it completely visible, “Where do you think they went?”

All Hyunjin could do was stare forward, clutching his arm to his chest. “I… I don’t know,” He mumbled,

“Let’s start by checking the forest,” Seungmin mumbled, his eyes scanning over the wreckage.

Singed leaves brushed against their feet as they walked into the trees, their branches tinted black and devoid of life. The pleasant crunch of leaves was reduced to a soft series of pops, barely audible.

“Do you think Vivi’s gone?” Changbin asked, his voice low and hoarse.

“I can only hope so,” Hyunjin mumbled, trying to push himself up in Seungmin’s arms to get a better view of the forest, “If she’s still here it’ll be a disaster for all of us.”

“Who’s Vivi?” Seungmin asked innocently, “She sounds intimidating.”

A moment of eye contact passed between Changbin and Hyunjin. “Well, we don’t really know…” Hyunjin answered quietly.

“Gowon said she’s a ‘phoenix’ or whatever that means. She has some sort of fire powers and poses a threat to us and this whole operation.”

Seungmin nodded, but his eyes were still squinted in confusion. “And… who’s Gowon?”

“She’s another member of our party. Hyunjin and Yerim brought her along. They’re witches too!” Hyunjin informed.

Seungmin continued to stare at Hyunjin blankly.

“Fine, I’ll catch you up as we walk.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


The forest stayed silent throughout their search, not a single trace of their other groupmates. Hyunjin managed to explain to Seungmin what was currently happening, with the help of Changbin, and the boy seemed more nervous than before.

“That’s… That’s what you guys had to deal with? To get us back?” Seungmin mumbled in disbelief.

Hyunjin chuckled. “Well… it wasn’t _that_ much-” 

“No, it was three weeks of absolute hell. It’s unbelievable, the things we’ve gone through,” Changbin grumbled, “A lot happened. Don’t try to brush it off, Hyunjin.”

It felt as if something had grabbed at Hyunjin’s heart, keeping a firm hold on it and pressing tight. He pursed his lips, trying to wriggle out of Seungmin’s arms.

Seungmin stuttered, “A-Are you sure? You still can’t-” 

“I can, don’t worry,” He defended, placing his feet onto the ground. “Just let me use your shoulder.”

Seungmin’s lips tightened nervously, carefully grasping Hyunjin’s arm as it swung around his shoulders.

A light scoff passed through the air, and Changbin turned his back. Felix, who had stayed silent during the walk, only sent Hyunjin a look of worry. 

Just as Hyunjin began to walk, shifting his weight to his good leg, there was a slight sniffle to their side. The boys froze, turning their heads to the sound.

The forest was almost pitch black by now, the only light coming from burnt-out embers on the ground and the reflection of the moon on the charred tree branches. Hyunjin saw a small shape moving between the bark.

“Who… Who’s there?” Hyunjin asked cautiously, taking a step forward and forcing Seungmin to lunge forward to keep him steady. The sound of the leaves became even louder in the silence.

“I-I have to help it.”

Changbin snapped his head towards Hyunjin. “It’s Jeongin,” He froze, staring into the boy’s eyes. Felix held his hand out in front of Changbins chest defensively. Changbin tried to glare into the boy’s eyes and force him to step back, but his facade fell as soon as it was put up.

“...Jeongin, are you ok?” Hyunjin continued.

“H-Hyunjin, please,” Jeongin’s voice was soft, but broken. Hyunjin took a step into the bushes without another word.

“Hyunjin, wait-!” Seungmin yelled, his hand slipping off the boy’s arm. He lunged forward, trying to grab at Hyunjin’s waist to keep him from going forward, but Hyunjin pulled him forward.

In the bushes sat Jeongin, crouching over the ground, one knee digging into the still-burning embers.

“I- It- Hyunjin what do I do?” Jeongin sputtered, raising his head to look at Hyunjin. His eyes were frantic, and his breathing was uneven. In his hands lay a small, unmoving bird. The bird looked like a crow, but honestly, Hyunjin couldn’t tell if its black coat was natural or not.

He let out a cautious sigh. “Where did you… find it?” He managed.

“I-It was on the ground. I couldn’t just _leave_ it here, Hyunjin! What are we going to do?”

Hyunjin held his breath, looking into Jeongin’s pleading eyes. Next to him stepped Changbin, treading lightly over the leaves. Jeongin flinched.

“Let’s… Let’s find Minho and the others first. They’ll be able to help us,” Hyunjin suggested, reaching his hand out to the boy.

Jeongin stared at the small bird in his hands, cradling it close to his chest. “Yeah,” he sniffled, “They can help.”

The light blue color of Jeongin’s pants was stained with black and brown, the ashes leaving dark marks on the previously light fabric.

“Jeongin,” Hyunjin asked, “Do you know where Bambam went?”

The younger looked at him with a blank expression. “Bambam…?” Slowly, his eyes began to widen, and he spun around, searching through the trees around them. “I- he was right behind me! And then I saw the bird, and… and then he was gone.”

Hyunjin’s breath hitched in the back of his throat. “That’s- That’s fine. We’ll find him- just come with us. We’ll find them. It’ll be ok.”

Seungmin gave him a worried look, almost reaching out his hand to Hyunjin’s shoulder. But he held it back.

Holding his eyes to the ground, Jeongin took a step forward. “I’ll go with you all, then.”

“Make sure to keep an eye on each other at all times,” Felix ordered, “Something doesn’t feel right.”

The voice caught Hyunjin by surprise, but he nodded slowly, holding onto Jeongin’s arm. Seungmin linked his arms with Felix, the latter back to holding his hands on Changbin’s shoulders.

  
  
  
  
  
  


They didn’t walk for too long before they came upon Bambam and Chan, the duo sitting on a tree trunk right behind the ruins of the manor.

“There you guys are!” Chan smiled excitedly, quickly standing up from his spot on the tree trunk, and Bambam shooting up soon after him. 

Bambam ran towards Jeongin, pulling the boy’s head close to his chest. “Where’d you go, little guy?” He asked kindly, “One second you’re there and the next…” His eyes traveled down to Jeongin’s hands. “...Oh.”

“Can we help it?” Jeongin pleaded, “It- It isn’t moving, we have to-”

Chan held a hand out to Jeongin, looking at him sadly. “You can’t bring things back once they’re gone, Jeongin.” 

“B-But we brought back Seungmin! A-And Felix and Jisung!” He defended, “We… We can bring the bird back too.”

Bambam ran a light hand through his hand, “You’re crossing into territory you don’t want to be a part of. The situation with the boys is completely different. The witch world has never seen a necromancer, and we hopefully never will. I can’t even begin to imagine the damage it must cause on the witch…”

“There’s… never been a necromancer?” Seungmin asked disappointedly, “Then… How are we going to get our souls back? Is it even possible?”

Hyunjin scoffed. “No, we’ll find someone. We _have_ to. We’ve come so far, we can’t just… give up.”

“Hyunjin there’s no-”

Hyunjin swiped at the comforting hand that Chan began to raise to his shoulder. “I said, we’ll _find someone._ ”

A moment of hesitation passed through Chan’s eyes before he set his hand down to his side. “Fine, then. But don’t come to me when you have to face the consequences.”

There was a harsh silence as Hyunjin and Chan stood in a stalemate, staring into each other’s eyes.

“Let’s… Let’s go find Minho!” Bambam offered, putting on a faint smile.

The fire dropped from Chan’s face, replaced by a composed nod. “Yes, let’s.”

Chan and Bambam walked in front of the group, holding hands and surveying the area around them. Seungmin hastily grabbed Hyunjin and Jeongin’s hands. 

“You two… You aren’t actually going to do it, right?” Seungmin asked. His tone was disappointed, but Hyunjin couldn’t miss the tiny glint of hope in his stark white eyes.

“We’ll do whatever we have to, Seungmin,” Hyunjin assured.

“Yeah,” Jeongin mumbled, staring down at the bird, “We’ll do whatever we have to.”  
  
  
  
  


“Where the hell could they have gone?” Bambam groaned, staring deep into the trees, “We’ve been walking in circles for the past hour, they could be anywhere!”

“Are they even in this forest anymore?” Seungmin asked, “They could’ve left and gone somewhere else. There isn’t exactly much left here…”

“Well, where else could they go? They aren’t in their homes. The lights were all off when we passed by earlier,” Chan grumbled, running a hand through his hair.

The sky had already grown dark, stars splattered across the dark canvas in messy patterns. Hyunjin stared up at those stars, wishing that they could simply create an arrow, a map. A compass.

“Where the hell do we check first, then?” 

Jeongin’s head slowly began to raise, looking between Chan and Bambam. “I… I might know.”

Bambam shot him a suspicious look. “Where, then?”

Without returning an answer, Jeongin began to look around them. “This forest connects to the fields down by the lake, right?”

“Well, yes, it does,” Chan answered him, his eyebrows furrowing in thought, “What are you thinking of, Jeongin?”

The boy held the bird close to his chest, staring into the distance. “Just follow me.”

He sped off almost immediately, leaving the rest of the group to scramble after him. Hyunjin grabbed Seungmin’s hand almost unconsciously, leaving Seungmin’s ears burning red.

“I- H-Hey Hyunjin, you can’t be walking so fast like this!” Seungmin whispered, taking long strides to catch up to him. 

Hyunjin spoke through winces. “Don’t worry about me! Just focus on following Jeongin.” His eyes were full of fire, a determination to get this done. Seungmin felt his heart grow light.

They raced through the deep of the forest, twigs, and branches snapped under their feet as they grew further from the manor. The ground seemed to be damp, but there was no source of water nearby. Mud began to stain the bottom of Hyunjin’s pants yet again, but at this point, he couldn’t bring himself to care.

The trees began to separate, the forest opening up in an endless field of tiny white flowers. Jeongin held a single hand out in front of him, the plants splitting off to either side of them and creating a path.

Hyunjin watched in awe as the plants moved on their own, the sound of whistling grass filling the air around them. Straight ahead, all Hyunjin could see was a field of white. Empty.

“Jeongin, where exactly are we going?” Hyunjin finally asked, squinting ahead at the moonlit field.

“There’s a cottage here somewhere. We have to find it,” He answered, not giving any further explanation.

Hyunjin stared even further into the fields of white and green, “...There’s nothing out here but flowers?”

“Just be patient.”

Hyunjin pouted, letting out a deep breath and looking around to his sides instead of straight forward. “Strange that a field so pretty like this could be the cause of everything…” He spoke to himself.

“Hm?” Seungmin asked, catching only a faint mumble. “What did you say?”

Hyunjin tilted his head to the side, “Oh, it’s nothing-”

“There it is!” Jeongin yelled, beginning to run, and sure enough, there was a large, brown cottage directly in front of them. 

“Wait, Jeongin!” Chan called out, beginning to run after him, Bambam close on his trail. Changbin and Felix also sped up to stay with the group. But Hyunjin faltered.

Seungmin hovered a hand at Hyunjin’s waist, “Here, let’s go.”

Hyunjin shook his head furiously. “Just go ahead of me, I’ll catch up with you all-HEY!”

He was scooped up by a pair of arm’s anyway, Seungmin breaking into a run to follow the others. Hyunjin wanted to struggle out of his grip, but there was something about feeling so weightless in the air that kept him still. Or was it something else?

They only caught up to everyone once they were at the cottage, Jeongin already holding an eager hand on the doorknob and swinging it open.

“They should be in here…” Jeongin mumbled, taking a step into the cottage.

The whole group slowly entered the cottage, looking around at the small picture frames and decorations. Chan and Bambam stopped at one of its walls, staring at a small picture frame.

“Hey, isn’t this from…?” Chan whispered.

Seungmin walked closer to them. A large painting hung above their heads, a full piece of a large group of people, Bambam and Chan kneeling right in the front. Looking closer, Hyunjin spotted Yerim and her wife, much younger than they are now, their faces still bright. There were two more people in the painting; people that Hyunjin couldn’t quite recognize.

“This-” Chan hesitated, “They moved away years ago, this shouldn’t be here.”

“Who are they?” Hyunjin asked, “The two other girls in the painting, were you all friends with them?”

Bambam let out a strained groan, turning his back to the painting. “Chuu and Yves…”

As if on cue, two girls were standing by the doorframe. One dressed in frilly pinks and yellows, the other in sleek navy and red. 

“It’s them,” Jeongin declared, “They’re the cause of this. I know it.”

Hyunjin’s head snapped up, “We’re facing them _now_!?” He tried to place his feet on the ground to get ready, but Seungmin held him tighter. “...Put me down,” He grumbled.

“No, Hyunjin,” Jeongin argued, still holding the small bird in his hands, “ _We’re_ facing them now.”

Chan gave Seungmin a pained look, hesitating before continuing. “Seungmin and Changbin, take the boys and run as far from here as you can. Felix, you go with them too.”

“Aww, you aren’t staying with us?” The smaller girl’s voice was so cheery, Hyunjin could hardly believe that she was their enemy. “It’ll be so boring with half the group…”

Without a second word, Felix began pushing Changbin out of the room. Seungmin followed closely behind.

The lady in blue glared at Hyunjin, raising a hand and causing a large rattling noise to emit from the house. From behind came a whir of knives, their edges sharp and directed towards the boys.

Hyunjin felt Seungmin flinch back harshly, almost dropping them both to the ground, but the pain never came. Before them stood a wall, made from the same material as the wooden floor below them. The tips of the knives barely stuck through the wood like tiny silver stars.

“Let’s go,” Felix ordered, the words simple, but effective. Seungmin and Changbin ran out before him, Felix turning to watch behind them, stretching the floorboards up out of the ground to stop the oncoming knives that were centered on them.

With the first step on shoes on grass, Seungmin broke into a sprint. All Hyunjin could do was stare back at the small cottage, hoping, _praying_ that they would be okay.

  
  
  
  
  
  


They finally rested at a small clearing right outside of the fields, the lake in full view next to them. Ripples of water let the rays of the moon ride along. Tranquility among chaos.

“Why the hell didn’t you let me stay back there? They need our help!” Hyunjin yelled, heading straight back towards the manor the second he was put down.

Seungmin took a step in front of him, blocking his view. He was out of breath, beads of cold sweat dripping from his forehead. “Hyunjin, I’m not going to let you put yourself in danger.”

Hyunjin’s anger faltered for a moment, “A-And why not!” He sputtered, “I-I could’ve-"

He couldn't finish the sentence, Seungmin’s white eyes seeing right through him. Suddenly, Hyunjin remembered what magic he practiced. 

“Don’t try to lie to me,” Seungmin spoke softly, an undeniable look of worry plastered on his face, “Go join Changbin in the grass. We’ll go check on the others at sunrise.”

Hyunjin pursed his lips. Seungmin knew when he was lying, and there was no escaping it. 

“We can’t give up on them,” He managed to whisper, “They need us too.”

“We aren’t giving up on them,” Seungmin answered, his voice no longer soft, but determined instead. “They’ll be fine without us. Take a rest now and make sure you’re in better shape tomorrow.”

Hyunjin finally gave in, turning away to sit next to Changbin, the boy sitting in awkward silence as Jisung lay between him and Felix. Changbin sent him a concerned nod, to which Hyunjin could only sigh. As Seungmin sat down, Felix was quick to take him by the waist, throwing them both to the ground beside Jisung. 

He exchanged a pained look with Changbin, receiving a sad shrug in return. Felix and Seungmin always looked so close to each other, so happy. There was no way they could be just friends, right?

Taking one last glance towards the small cottage, Hyunjin lowered himself to the ground, closing his eyes and falling into a restless sleep.

  
  
  
  
  
  


That sleep didn’t last long, of course. 

Worry ate away at Hyunjin, his eyes trembling every minute, trying to force themselves to open. He needed to move, he needed to _go._

He couldn’t take it anymore. His eyes flew open and he sat up, making sure the other boys were still asleep. His eyes stilled on Jisung, the boy in a different position than he was in when they put him down. He had turned onto his side, facing Felix and Seungmin. The two were still holding each other comfortably. Hyunjin looked away.

Suppressing a groan, Hyunjin stood up, the pain pulsing through his leg as he applied pressure. It wasn’t as much as the day before, and for that he was thankful.

There was a faint light coming from the direction of the cottage that caught Hyunjin’s eye. Worry grasped at his chest, making it difficult to breathe as he took a step forward. He limped the whole way towards the cottage, occasionally putting weight onto his injured leg to test it out.

Grass and plants whistled around him, masking the growing sound of crackling embers as he drew closer to the cottage. The moon drifted down the sky as he walked, the orange rays of sun barely peeking over the mountains across the lake. That faint yellow light lit the path in front of him, the grass still stained with morning dew, the signs of spring. 

The familiar smell of ashes filled his lungs as the cottage finally came into view, the tongue of flames sweeping across the sky. The cottage was on fire. Of course, it was.

Deciding to forget all about the pain in his leg, Hyunjin walked faster towards the structure. Every step brought a soreness up his entire leg, but it was easy to ignore in favor of their safety.

Hyunjin could only think about _them_. His friends. The group that grew closer despite their unfavorable circumstances. He couldn’t just leave them. He never should’ve left them.

As he finally came to stand before the manor, the heat grew even stronger, the flames even brighter. Where did he go from here?

The entire structure was engulfed in fire, he couldn’t even step foot into the building. And where were the others? Were they ok? Did they escape? Did they-

Hyunjin fell to the ground, ignoring the rocks and pebbles that hit his knees. He stared forward at the cottage, his eyes burning. He knew he had to help, but there was no method. There was no way to help now. He had nowhere to go, but forward.

Nowhere to go but forward.

And that’s just what he did.

He stood up from the ground, completely losing any sense of common sense he had left. His foot just began to pass through the door and-

“Hyunjin, what the _hell_ do you think you’re doing!?” Changbin’s hoarse voice broke through his thoughts. They must’ve woken up at sunrise to find him gone.

He couldn’t respond. He couldn’t even turn around to see his face. He knew the other three boys came along, and he couldn’t turn to face them either.

“Hyunjin, don’t…” Seungmin began to plead, and Hyunjin almost turned around. _Almost._

He stared forward as they walked inside, the heat that was burning at his skin now reduced to cool, damp air. He froze in shock.

The cottage was soaked on the inside, the couch cushions dark and damp and the painted portraits becoming distorted. Water dripped from the ceiling while a raging fire burned outside of the windows. The contrast made his head spin.

He heard a light _thunk_ from the room on the left. 

Immediately, he walked towards the noise, turning into the room without hesitation. Sure enough, there sat their entire group, completely uninjured. They slept with their hands and feet tied together with rope, each person connected to the next. Their heads rested on each other’s shoulders, looking much more comfortable than they should’ve been. Across the room were Chuu and Yves, also sleeping soundly, the hands and feet tied together.

It was a bizarre sight to Hyunjin. He was expecting injuries and chaos, but the picture painted in front of him was almost peaceful.

Jeongin let out a soft sneeze from the pile of people, and Hyunjin felt himself flinch. The small boy sat comfortably between Chan and Bambam, still holding the bird to his chest.

His eyes fluttered open, looking to Hyunjin at the doorway. Hyunjin opened his mouth to talk, but Jeongin brought a finger up to his mouth, shaking his head frantically. 

_Don’t talk_. He mouthed. It was enough for Hyunjin to understand. He gestured to the ropes that tied everyone together, and Jeongin pouted.

 _Later._ He mouthed again, and Hyunjin nodded. He sat down in front of Jeongin, picking at the ropes and struggling to untie them. 

The ropes were knotted tightly, but eventually, Hyunjin managed to free his hands and legs.

Jeongin stretched lightly, letting out a silent yawn as he did. He looked behind Hyunjin, searching for something. _Someone_.

He had almost forgotten about the 4 boys still standing outside of the cottage. He rose to his feet, wincing as he put pressure onto his leg. Jeongin pointed at his friends around him, already getting started on undoing the ropes. Chan was the first to stir, looking to Hyunjin with a disappointed, but forgiving expression.

Hyunjin could no longer see through the door, the flames on the outside too thick for anyone to see through them. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to try walking through that door again, the memory of the flames too painful for his now calm state of mind. 

It seemed that Hyunjin didn’t even have to go through the door, Changbin and the rest of the boys tumbling in through the door.

“Hyunjin, I swear to-!” Changbin began to yell, but he froze at the change in atmosphere. Jeongin ran out of the room, holding a finger to his lips, telling them to keep quiet, but it was already too late. Hyunjin could feel the heat of the flames through the door as the fire blew up around them. He could feel the whole cottage shake above them.

“Oh, well!” A sweet voice sounded from the door. The phoenix smiled. “You all just don’t know how to stop, do you?”

A series of flames shot across the room, and Hyunjin didn’t have the energy to move. Felix ran towards him, pulling the other three boys along with him. A wall shot up in front of them, just as it had done before, but this time it wasn’t catching knives. The wooden floor began to burn, only slowed by the dampness of the water.

“In here!” Jeongin shouted, motioning for the group to follow him. 

Seungmin picked Hyunjin up without a word, Hyunjin wrapping his arm around the boy's shoulders almost thoughtlessly. 

Everyone else in the room had already woken up, with the exception of Chuu and Yves. Yerim stood defensively in front of the others, the bottom of her dress soaking wet. Minho kneeled beside her, his eyes tired but focused. Seungmin nearly threw himself to the ground beside Chan, dropping Hyunjin into his lap.

“What’s going on?” He asked the vampire, “Why isn’t the inside of this house burnt to a crisp like it is outside?” 

Chan scratched the boys head worriedly, “Yerim and Minho are elementals, their water magic really helped us out a lot. Minho managed to soak the interior completely in water so that the fire wouldn’t spread, but Vivi managed to knock most of us out right after by just fighting.”

Seungmin frowned, “You couldn’t beat her in a fight…? I thought you and Bambam were the strongest ones here, with the vampire powers and all.”

Chan let out a nervous laugh, and the uneasiness returned to Hyunjin’s chest.

The click of heels made their way into the small kitchen-like room, followed by a crash through the window. In just a second Vivi stood soaking wet in the doorway, her peach tinted dress completely drenched. Hyunjin saw shards of glass to his side where the window had broken. Minho had stood up from the ground, a steady stream of water circling around his waist.

Vivi whined, “That’s so-!” She shook her head, pulling the water out of her hair with her hands. “That was _very_ rude of you!” 

“Hey, _you_ were the one who knocked us out!” Kim Hyunjin yelled, holding onto her wife’s dress as if it were a shield.

Vivi’s gaze turned away from Hyunjin, already dismissive of her complaint. Instead, she stared at Minho.

“ _You’re_ the one who made it so difficult. It’s you!” She yelled, a ball of fire already forming in her hands.

“We can’t stay inside much longer!” Gowon yelled, “We have to get out of here before the ceiling collapses.

“I- How the hell are we going to do that!?” Kim Hyunjin grumbled back to her, “She’s _right in front of us_.” 

Gowon sighed. “Felix, I saw you manipulating surfaces before. Are you able to knock her over?” Gowon whispered to Felix, the boy giving her an affirmative nod.

The floor from beneath Vivi began to rise, flipping her onto her side and curling over her.

“Nice!” Gowon cheered, “Now _go!_ ” Yerim lead the group out the front door, water rising from the floor and onto the flames surrounding the door. As water disappeared from the home, fire, began to drawl inside, spreading out from the windows and covering the ceiling. 

Kim Hyunjin grabbed Chuu and Yves from the opposite end of the room, struggling to carry them until Chan came to take Yves into his own arms. Minho didn’t begin to run until everyone was in front of him, keeping his eyes on Vivi.

The wooden planks holding her down began to burn, the wood splintering and cracking over her. That was when Minho finally began to run. 

Just as he managed to cross the door into the field, the ceiling of the house began to crumble inside. Part of it fell in, followed by the walls, the beams, and soon there was nothing left but a flat pile of rubble. Everything except-

“I’ve had _enough!_ ” Vivi’s voice rang loudly from the ruins of the cottage. Her silhouette stood up in the flames, walking forwards towards the group. 

Chan held a hand out in front of Seungmin and Hyunjin, Seungmin taking a worried step back.

“Everyone stand behind me,” Yerim ordered, taking a step in front of them, Changbin and Felix quickly running over to join her. 

“Hey, this guy’s starting to get _really_ heavy,” Changbin grumbled as he stood next to Seungmin and Hyunjin.

“Are your arms finally getting tired?” Hyunjin asked.

“No! He’s getting heavy! Like, a normal person's weight!” Changbin placed him down onto the ground, taking a seat next to him. He placed Jisung's head onto his lap, staring at the way the boy's breathing began to return to normal 

Seungmin, Hyunjin, and Felix looked towards him worriedly, but the moment didn’t last too long before Felix raised his hand in front of them, creating a wall of dirt and grass. There was no sound, but Seungmin's knees gave in, bringing both boys down to the ground.

“Don’t focus on them!” Minho yelled, his voice coarse and broke. He stood apart from the rest of the group. Too far out of reach. “ _I’m_ the one you’re meant to hate.”

Vivi thought for a moment, placing a hand on her chin. “Well,” She decided, “You aren’t wrong.” A spiral of fire swung around her as Yerim yelled. The fire grew four times Vivi’s size, giving her wings and a tail, the head of the phoenix staring directly towards Minho. He took a nervous step back, reaching a hand out towards the lake and bringing to him a bubble of water.

“Now, that’s no fun!” Vivi shouted, raising a hand lightly. Fire shot out from the tail of the phoenix, maneuvering past the bubble and hitting Minho’s hand. The bubble fell almost immediately, and Minho fell along with it, clutching his hand. Vivi smiled. “I want you to feel this full force, Cain.” 

Minho stared up at the phoenix as it dove down towards him, and Hyunjin closed his eyes.

Yerim began to yell, but only silence came from Minho.

“What- Where did it go…?” Vivi asked lightly. Hyunjin opened his eyes to see the phoenix gone, Minho sitting in the same position he was in before, but his eyes were focused on something new. Jisung had his arm raised, a fiery determination in his eyes.

"Don't you _dare._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY omg  
> i'm so sorry that this took so long to upload!!!! school really took up more time than expected ;;; I'll try my best to stay on a schedule, so from now on I'll be posting on the last saturday/sunday on every month instead of the usual 2 weeks :( this also means that the next update should come out on halloween :D
> 
> so here u all go !! jisung is awake, vivi is BACK, chuuves are now going to be more important to the story and seunglix may or may not have souls lol we will see OwO
> 
> \-- next chapter : "...Speaking of the fight, who the hell just ran past us because Vivi is definitely following him in her phoenix form and I don’t know what that’s going to bring.” --


	14. the way back home

Everyone’s eyes were focused on Jisung, his small arm raised towards Minho, eyes squinting together in anger.

“Jisung!” Seungmin yelled, quickly followed by Felix. They reached to help him stand, but Jisung was already rising to his feet.

Vivi’s lips curled up into a smile. 

In an attempt to stop the boy, Seungmin reached his hand out, but Jisung was already walking towards the now orange-haired woman. The curls of her hair flipped up into the air like the tendrils of flames, and Hyunjin could only watch as Jisung walked forward.

Less than a few seconds passed when Gowon suddenly snapped her head to the others. “Felix! Make this wall a bit taller! We need some sort of hideaway while we take care of Chuu and Yves.”

Felix looked to her curiously, but he did as he was told, his eyes shifting between the wall and the brewing fight in front of them. Small bits of grass fell over Hyunjin and Seungmin as the wall began to curl over them. Hyunjin shifted further to the left, searching for the right angle to look past the wall. 

Jisung’s legs were still shaking, but his fist was tightened and he kept his shoulders back. His gait slowed as he neared Vivi, slowing to a stop a few meters in front of her. Hyunjin fell quiet as he watched, waiting for either of them to make the first move.

A small flame appeared near Vivi’s shoulder, splitting off from the rest of her hair. Jisung widened his stance in response, picking up one hand in front of him.

He felt Felix sit behind him, Seungmin leaning into his side. Changbin laid on the ground in front of Hyunjin, pulling his head forward to watch.

It started abruptly, Vivi throwing the first flame. Jisung was light on his feet as he jumped to dodge the flames, seemingly weightless as the flames burned around him. Everything became a blur as the flames grew dense. Or maybe it wasn’t the flames, but the small circle of wind swirling around the boy.

Changbin gasped lightly, “Wait, can he…?”

Seungmin let out a soft hum, “Yes. Fire and air, earth and water.”

“All four of them!?”

“No-! No, that’s not-” 

Jisung stepped back far enough to reach his hand out to Minho, the older staring at it hesitantly.

“C’mon,” Jisung encouraged breathlessly, “This is what we studied for, isn’t it?”

Minho’s eyes darted between Vivi and the ground below him, refusing to make eye contact. He shuffled further away from Jisung, but the younger boy stood his ground.

“I won’t be able to do this without you, y’know,” He huffed in annoyance, but there was a soft tinge in his voice, “We can talk once this gets all sorted out.”

Finally shaking his head, Minho took hold of Jisung’s hand, allowing himself to be pulled up to the older. Jisung wrapped his arm around his shoulder, acting as a support for the weight of the older.

One hand still holding Jisung’s, Minho made a small twirling motion towards the lake, and Hyunjin watched as a long river of water circled the pair. 

“Holy shit,” Hyunjin whispered, and Changbin could only nod his head in agreement.

Vivi groaned. “That-! That’s not fair! You have 4 of them!” She raised her arms higher, creating a cloud of fire that reflected on the winding loop of lakewater.

Jisung whispered something to Minho in response, and Hyunjin could see the older barely crack a smile.

The cloud of fire began to rain down on the duo, the water mixing with the air and creating a sharp barrier around them. Minho leaned further into Jisung’s arm, nodding his head up sharply. A wooden board moved from below Vivi’s feet, the earth under her flying up.

She took a wooden board into her hands, the soaked wood immediately drying up and catching fire. With seriousness in her eyes, she threw the board towards the sphere of water and air, watching it barely cut through.

Hyunjin pulled Changbin closer to his chest as the remains of the cottage lit up behind the phoenix, the red of the fire mixing with the reds and yellows of the sunrise.

Vivi smiled.

A storm of planks began to rain down on the sphere of wind, splintering off only to return to Vivi and be hurled back again. The larger planks never tore through the wind, some smaller shards managed to make their way past the barrier. Jisung created a smaller wall of flames inside of their sphere, burning any splinters of wood into ash. He held an arm out in front of Minho, pushing the older further and further behind his back until he was almost completely shielded from the chaos around them.

Hyunjin felt something prick at his forehead, and suddenly he was being pushed forward. He rolled into Changbin, Seungmin quickly falling on top of both of them from where he was sitting. Felix grabbed at their legs, pulling them back into the group as he closed up the wall of earth around them. Hyunjin couldn’t see anything but black.

“Wh-What was that for Felix!?” Seungmin gaped, looking frantically between Felix and where their small window used to be. “How are we going to know if they’re ok? Jisung just woke up, we-!”

Felix brought a finger to Seungmin’s lips, effectively making him go quiet.

“The wood was starting to fly towards us, too. You three have already gotten hit by a few pieces but you were too worried to notice,” Felix pushed Seungmin’s hair back, revealing a small red spot where the splinter had hit him, “Minho and Jisung are stronger than they look when they’re together. We can trust them.”

“But…” Hyunjin began to argue, “Jisung’s been asleep for almost 3 days… Are you sure he’s alright?”

Felix sighed. “That brat of a child has never been one to stay still for too long. He’ll be back to his usual self in no time.”

Hyunjin felt Changbin stifle a giggle against his back, and he let a fond smile spread across his face.

The small earth dome fell into silence, until-

“Well, Chuu and Yves aren’t possessed anymore, if you four want an update on that situation.” Gowon’s tone was impatient but still friendly and endearing.

“I apologize that we were worried about our friend’s safety,” Changbin replied sarcastically, and Hyunjin could almost feel him sending her a fake pout.

“Hah, a friend, huh.”

Jeongin’s tense voice immediately dulled the friendly atmosphere, sending shivers down Hyunjin’s spine.

“Hey, Jeongin?” Chan asked, “Are you… are you doing alright?”

The boy didn’t respond, and Hyunjin could hear something shuffle at the other end of the dome. The sound of the flames became mere background noise now, and the heat only began to grow.

“Eh-hem,” Yerim coughed, “Maybe we should open a window in here, you know? I assume the heat is only getting trapped in here.

A piece of the wall crumbled, letting in a burst of fresh air and letting through a view of the field behind them. It wasn’t too big, only enough for a person to fit their hand through. Hyunjin squinted his eyes at the sudden burst of light, shaking his head and blinking rapidly to adjust.

An uncomfortable silence fell upon the group, the sound of flames becoming more distant.

“...I wonder how they’re doing out there,” Changbin mumbled, “It’s been a while.”

“Why don’t you go out and check?” Jeongin mumbled back, not tearing his gaze away from the small bird.

Chan let out a low hiss, slowly turning his head towards the sulking boy.

“Are you telling me to go walk into a battlezone?” Changbin laughed, narrowing his eyes at his brother.

“And what if I am?” Jeongin finally picked up his head, glaring at Changbin with an icy stare.

“You go out first, we’ll see how long you last,” Changbin’s words were laced with frustration, and Hyunjin hit his arm.

“Changbin shut up,” Hyunjin hissed, but Jeongin was already standing up.

Bambam tried to tug on the tails of Jeongin’s coat, but the younger tore the fabric from his hands. He stood in front of the small window, swinging his leg back, ready to kick the wall down. Felix let out a sudden hiss, letting the small gap crumble before the moment of impact.

Jeongin simply walked out of the dome, and straight into the field behind them, quickly disappearing into the hazy ash before the rest of the group even had time to think.

“Changbin!” Hyunjin scolded, his mouth held open in shock.

“Not my fault he’s an idiot...” Changbin mumbled, but Hyunjin could hear the regretful tone in his voice.

“Vivi is still out there,” Hyunjin whispered, “He can-”

A series of thumps sounded against the side of the dome. “

“Guys, open up!” He heard a voice yell from outside. Jisung.

Eventually, the boy’s face appeared in the gap - now a larger doorway. He stood clutching Minho’s side with one arm, the older clearly worn out from the fight.

“What the fuck?” Jisung asked, more curious than accusatory.

“What do you mean, ‘What the fuck,’” Felix repeated, inciting a sound of surprise from Hyunjin, “Are the both of you alright?”

“Yeah! We’re just a bit,” He glances at Minho, “Worn out. Speaking of the fight, who the hell just ran past us because Vivi is definitely following him in her phoenix form and I don’t know what that’s going to bring.”

Changbin took in a sharp inhale, pulling himself out of Hyunjin’s grasp and squeezing through the small gap, running in the direction Jeongin had disappeared. Hyunjin looked worriedly towards the door, but he couldn’t find the strength to move.

Jisung whipped his head back to see Changbin run off, quickly turning back to the rest of the group. “I…”

“Just come inside,” Chan sighed, “Does that mean Vivi’s gone?”

Taking a seat next to Felix and Seungmin, Jisung nodded. Minho sat at a comfortable distance next to him, not wanting to get too close, but their hands were still intertwined.

The earth dome around them began to seep back into the ground, revealing the mess of ash around them. Jisung spun his finger in the air, and the ashes were pushed back away from them, giving the group a small space of clean air.

“...What happened to this guy?” Jisung asked, looking in Hyunjin’s direction.

It took Hyunjin a moment to realize just how disheveled he must look, covered in dirt, ash, and old bandages. “The same as the rest of us, I suppose,” He answered.

Seungmin let out a pointed sigh. “This is Hyunjin. He’s the reason you, Felix, and I are able to leave the manor. I guess he still doesn’t know his limits though…”

“His arm and leg are both injured so he can’t walk,” Felix explained further, much to Hyunjin’s annoyance, “Make sure you watch out for him. He shouldn’t be allowed to walk on his own until the injuries heal.”

“What!?” A pained noise escaped Hyunjin, “But that’s going to take weeks!” 

“Then I guess I’ll just have to carry you for the time being!” Seungmin joked.

Hyunjin’s face turned bright red. He knew Seungmin was joking, he knew he meant it in a friendly way, but Hyunjin hoped that, maybe…

The memory he saw back in the manor came rushing back to him. Seungmin staring at Felix with glowing skin and the whole world in his eyes. He liked Felix. Hyunjin was just reading the situation the wrong way. He was just joking. Right?

  
Jeongin ran. And he ran. And he ran until the ash filled up his lungs and his legs wouldn’t run anymore.

He didn’t let the bird go even for a moment, clutching the ball of glossy black feathers close to his chest. Jeongin always liked crows, ever since he was young. They were intelligent, they cared for each other, and they always seemed to be there when Jeongin faced a turning point in his life.

The day he first arrived in Yellowwood - a crow sat on the front porch of their small hotel-like building. 

The day his parents left - a crow greeted him on his windowsill, saying hello to the unknowing boy that had just woken up for school.

The day he started learning magic - Minho chased a group of crows out from his garden, shooing them away with a string of water.

And now he held a crow in his hands, the bird lifeless and cold, but holding so many painful memories. 

Jeongin sat under one of the trees at the edge of the forest, the bright morning frost still coating the dirt around him. “I’m sorry,” He mumbled, stroking back the matted feathers on the bird’s head. “I want to help, but I… I don’t know how.”

Every breath he took was a strike of pain against his chest, but he didn’t mind. Throwing his head back to the tree, Jeongin slumped down further into the forest floor.

“Where’d you find him?” A gentle voice asked.

Jeongin cracked his eyes open to find Vivi kneeling in front of him, staring at the bird sitting in his hands.

“I- I found him on the forest floor, back near the manor,” Jeongin responded, scooting back carefully against the tree.

“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you,” Vivi spoke, “If I wanted to hurt you I could’ve done so back at the cottage, but it seems you’ve found my little friend.”

Jeongin watched the way the tips of her hair sparked with flames, but it wasn’t a roaring fire like before. Her hair lay flat against her back, the ferocious red turning to dusty pink, sweeping across her shoulders like silk.

“You want to bring him back to us, don’t you?” She asked. Her tone was kind. Jeongin relaxed his shoulders.

“Do… Do you know how?”

Vivi nodded. “I can’t do it myself, though,” She began to explain, “As a phoenix, I’m only able to bring myself back, but the same cannot be said for others.”

“Then… can you show me how?” 

“You already know,” Vivi answered vaguely, her eyes rising to meet Jeongin’s, then falling back to the bird.

Jeongin waited for an explanation, but nothing came. He tilted his head to the side, hoping to catch her attention.

“Think about the magic you already know. List it out for me.”

He thought for a moment, of all the training he had done over the years. “I… I have a grasp of physically manipulating objects,”

Vivi smiled, “And go on?”

“Um… Yerim taught me how to preserve plants, back when she still taught me. She uses it to keep her fruits ripe in the winter.”

“And the last?”

Jeongin thought for a moment, “Well, Hyunjin taught me how to control souls, but it’s not something I’m confident in yet,” His memory flashes back to the incident at Hyunjin’s manor. He flinches.

“Then that’ll be perfect,” Vivi exclaimed, “You’ve already been given the pieces of the puzzle. Dealing with decomposition, manipulating lifespan, controlling souls - all you need is one last kick in order to be deemed a true necromancer.”

“A… A necromancer…” Jeongin mumbled. He’d thought about it before but now was his chance. He had to decide. 

“You have an ancient phoenix sitting right in front of you, child. I’ve been cultivating the magic of resurrection for hundreds and thousands of years. Let me pass some of my knowledge onto you.”

Jeongin let out a harsh breath, “But why me? Has anyone else ever gotten this… this knowledge? Why are you choosing me?”

“Because you found him - my little omen. I set this bird free long, long ago to find my apprentice, and it seems that you’ve been drawn to him.”

Jeongin looked down at the bird, then back to Vivi. “How can I be so sure?”

Vivi let out a sigh. “Why can’t you be as easy to please as the rest of your friends,” She complained, but she reached a hand out to the bird. “Give him here.”

He complied, handing her the motionless bird. As soon and Vivi held it completely in her hands, the glossy black wings began to glow, like embers on an all-black ground. 

“I created this bird,” She explained, “And so he has some of the same magical properties as me. To some extent, of course. Does this help you?”

Jeongin nodded, taking the bird back into his hands. “Then… how do we start?”

“Sit back,” Vivi ordered, “This might hurt, or maybe not. I’ve never tried it on a human so we’ll just have to see.”

He shuddered - but sat still against the cold tree.

Vivi raised a long finger to Jeongin’s forehead, and red flashed in front of his eyelids. He felt a burning pain, but it wasn’t anything unbearable. It was over in a flash, and the burning sensation spread throughout his body.

“That… Wasn’t the worst thing ever, I guess,” Jeongin mumbled, scratching at his head.

“Good! Now, here,” She handed him the small crow, “Bring it back.”

There was a sudden sense of ease in Jeongin’s mind as he took hold of the bird. It was almost like he could hear its heart beating, but not physically. It confused him, but at the same time, made his task much easier.

He closed his eyes, remembering the training he had received from the other witches. His mind wandered as he tried to find the soul of the bird, sifting through the souls of other animals, being led only by his own intuition.

The rest of the process came to him naturally, and soon enough, there was a small squawk. Vivi stood proudly in front of him. “The bird and I are as one,” She muttered, “Call for me if you need anything.”

Vivi’s hair grew brighter, the pink shifting to tones of blinding orange and white. It engulfed her, and soon enough she took the shape of a majestic orange bird, flames trickling at its tail like long, silky feathers.

He looked down at the bird in his hands. The bird looked back up to him. He looked to his side.

Changbin stood behind a tree, his face twisted in an expression that made Jeongin’s heart shatter to pieces.

  
“Do you think we should go look for them?” Seungmin asked skeptically, catching the attention of Felix, whose head rested on his shoulder.

Yerim scratched her head, “I really do want to go look for them, but then we might end up getting lost too…”

“Will they be able to take on Vivi on their own, though?” Chan asked cautiously, his gaze turning to the forest, just as it had been for the past several minutes.

“Jeongin’s strong,” Kim Hyunjin assured, “He’s smart too. If anything, he’ll find a way out of it. I’m sure.”

Yerim let out a defeated whine, throwing her head into her wife’s lap. She clumped up the fabric of her dress, making a small pillow to rest her head upon. “Why can’t we just go back to selling fruit at the fruit stall? How did we get caught up in this?”

Bambam laughed, “You girls are the ones who were so excited to go out to that lake and find Minho!”

Minho flinched at the mention of his name.

“Yea, but he’s back now! Everyone’s here now. We just have to figure out how to get their souls back and… we’ll be done!”

Jisung blinked a few times, “Our souls?” He asked, looking to Seungmin and Felix, “Do we not have them or something? Because I feel just fine!”

Seungmin elbowed him in the side, and Felix could only offer a confused shrug.

“Seungmin said you guys don’t have souls,” Bambam explained, “Right Seungmin?”

Seungmin gave them a hesitant nod, and Jisung’s eyes glared, but he decided to leave it at that.

“Then, while we’re sitting here,” Jisung spoke up, “Can anyone tell me what the hell is going on?”

“It’s a long story, and it’s not very pretty,” Gowon sighed, “Are you sure?”

Jisung pouted. “Then at least tell me what’s going on now.”

“Well, right now we’re waiting for Changbin and Jeongin to come back, if they even do,” Gowon began to explain.

Jisung cut her off, “Who are Changbin and Jeongin?”

“They’re our friends from town,” Hyunjin told him, “When I first moved here, they helped me get settled, and they, unfortunately, got dragged into all of this. I don’t know what we would’ve done without them.”

Jisung nodded along, looking to Hyunjin with a sad expression. The other boy was still laying on the ground, his back flat on the ground and his eyes closed. It should’ve looked relaxing, but he could tell that the boy was restless.

“Are… Are they both witches?” 

Gowon nodded, “Yes, both of them are. At least now they are. Jeongin’s been an apprentice for years but Changbin just became a witch about a week ago.”

“Ah! I see…” He said, nodding, but turning his head to the ground.

They fell back into silence, every second that passed felt like an hour. The sunset passed, and the bright rays of sunlight sparkled through their small bubble of fresh air. 

  
Changbin sat on the tree opposite of Jeongin, staring at the bird in his hands. Neither of them had spoken, only the brush of the tree branches there to fill the silence.

“Jeongin, that… That bird…” Changbin began to speak up, “Don’t tell me that’s…”

Jeongin hugged the bird closer to his chest, stroking the feathers on its head. “Yeah. It is.”

He refused to look up from where he sat, terrified to look into his brother’s eyes.

“How did you… bring it back?” Changbin asked. Jeongin shut his eyes tight.

“I got help from someone,” Jeongin replied, “C-Can we just go back? It’s getting cold-”

“It was Vivi, wasn’t it?” Jeongin’s head shot up, and he watched Changbin’s expression fall into something more… neutral. “We saw her following you. I was scared that something was going to happen.”

Jeongin scoffed. “Why would you be scared?” 

Changbin’s eyes softened, a pained frown crossing his face. He stood up, walking closer to Jeongin and settling down again in front of the boy. Changbin sat still for a moment longer, his head held between his knees. 

“I’m sorry,” He spoke softly. Jeongin could barely hear it.

“What?”

“I said I’m sorry,” Changbin repeated, his head dropping further down.

Jeongin almost laughed, but he felt a sting of pain in his chest. “What the hell are you sorry for?”

“I’m sorry for not trusting you,” Changbin spat out, letting out a sigh as if he had been holding the words back for weeks, “I’m sorry for not giving you space, a-and getting mad at you so easily. I just- You used to be the only one close to me. When I found out that you were keeping secrets it felt like I had lost the only person I had by my side.”

Jeongin stiffened, bringing his legs close to his chest.

“You’re your own person now, Jeongin. You’re able to make your own decisions. If you want to get involved in magic and witches and that sort of stuff,” Changbin began to lift his head higher, “Then it shouldn’t be my place to tell you whether you’re allowed to do that stuff or not. I’m sorry.”

After another moment of silence, Changbin picked his head up in worry. “I’m sorry, was that-”

A tear ran down Jeongin’s cheek, and his lips quivered.

“H-Hey, no, don’t cry,” Changbin tried to comfort him, but Jeongin rushed forward, throwing himself into his brother’s arms.

“I-I’m sorry too,” Jeongin sniffled, “I… I should’ve told you when I first started practicing magic. I had no idea you felt that way. If we could’ve just… talked-”

Changbin patted Jeongin’s hair down, his watery gaze shifting to the crow jumping along the snowy grass.

“I’m sorry for being so mean to you,” Jeongin continued, “I really didn’t want you to leave me, I don’t know what I’d do without you here.”

Changbin held him tighter, letting the boy cry into the soft fur of his coat. He began to feel tears prick at his eyes, so he took a deep breath, willing them to stop.

“I… still have to work on completely letting you go, but I’ll try,” Changbin assured, “I guess I just care about you too much.”

Jeongin shook his head into Changbin’s shoulder, letting his body relax and fall loosely onto Changbin, who put him into his lap quietly. “And- And I have to work on being more honest with you,” Jeongin confessed, “There’s going to be no more secrets between us, right?”

“Yeah. No more secrets,” Changbin brought Jeongin into his arms, picking the both of them up off the ground, “Now, let’s go back to the others. They must be worried about you.”

Jeongin nodded, holding a hand out for the crow, which flew up and landed calmly on the boy’s fingers.

“Are you going to name your new friend?” Changbin asked, feeling the feathers of the bird brush against his ear as Jeongin wrapped his hands around his shoulders.

Jeongin hummed in thought, his voice still raspy from crying. “You know what? I think I’ll name him Binnie.”

  
The sun was only rising higher, and Hyunjin was getting restless. He kept his eyes shut, but they always seemed to flutter open, his ears always on alert for footsteps in the distance. At one point he felt his leg go numb, so he tried to shuffle to lay on his side, only to be stopped by Seungmin’s hand.

“I can’t even move?” Hyunjin complained, pushing Seungmin’s hand away.

Seungmin gave him a small nod, his face filled with worry. Hyunjin almost felt bad.

Another few minutes of complete silence and Hyunjin finally heard distant shuffling. It seems he wasn’t the only one listening for movement, because soon the entire group was turning their hands to the sound.

“Is that-?” Hyunjin began to ask, trying to push himself up on his elbows.

“Changbin!” Chan yelled, calling for the boy.

Still unable to move up onto his arms, Hyunjin could only stretch out his neck, trying desperately to see what was going on.

“Do you want some help?” Seungmin asked, snapping his head back to look at Hyunjin.

Before he could even answer, Seungmin had his arms wrapped around Hyunjin’s waist, pulling him into his lap to see. Hyunjin usually hated these shows of pity, but he was comfortable, and he could see.

Changbin carried Jeongin like a child, the younger draped across the front of his chest as he held the boys back. A sigh of relief left Hyunjin.

The grip on his waist loosened as Changbin stepped into the middle of the small circle the group had made, settling down in the place he sat before, Jeongin still clinging onto his neck. Hyunjin looked to the small crow settled on the younger boy’s arm. Everyone else stared too. They didn’t mention it.

“...Where’s Vivi?” Chan asked, looking towards the pair skeptically. 

Changbin hummed in hesitation, “Um, gone, I guess?”

“She won’t bother us anymore,” Jeongin finished for him, keeping his head buried in his brothers shoulder.

“Can you tell us what happened?” Bambam tried to push further.

When Jeongin refused to answer, Changbin raised his head. “We made up!”

A sigh of relief fell upon the group - even Minho, who had been sitting silently next to Jisung. 

“We’re glad the two of you are on better terms now,” Chan breathed out, “Now where to?”

Gowon picked her head up from Yerim’s lap, a position she found herself comfortable with shortly after Changbin had left. “Now that we have Chuu and Yves, we go back to Hyunjin’s manor and-”

“Again!?” Hyunjin almost shouted, his lip turning up with a pout, “How many more times are we going to cross the entire town?”

Much to Hyunjin’s annoyance, she responded with a soft laugh. “I guess you’re going to have to get carried again, huh?”

If he could throw something at her, he would, but Hyunjin sunk back into Seungmin’s chest, his ears turning red.

“Then… let’s leave now,” Felix offered, “We should be able to get there by sundown.”

The group nodded in compliance. Seungmin began to pick Hyunjin up, wrapping his arms under the boy’s legs, but Hyunjin forced himself up.

“I-I can do this myself,” he stuttered, taking a shaky step forward. He was using sheer spite to keep himself standing.

An endeared sigh left Seungmin as he wrapped Hyunjin’s good arm around his shoulder. “Yeah, sure you can.”

Hyunjin was embarrassed, but he complied. Struggling would only take more effort, and he didn’t like the sharp spikes of pain that would shoot through his arm whenever he moved.

“Fine, then,” he groaned, “To the manor it is.”

  
The trip was much shorter than Hyunjin had expected, perhaps due to the fact that he fell asleep within the first few minutes of walking.

It was another cold afternoon, and Hyunjin felt the cold snaps of winter burning the tips of his ears. They were farther away from the fire, and he could no longer feel its warmth, forcing himself closer to Seungmin’s chest.

“You awake?” Seungmin whispered to him, hugging him closer as he trudged up the hill.

“I guess,” Hyunjin mumbled back. He wanted to go back to sleep, but by the looks of it, they were already nearing the manor.

“Are you ready to take in some big information yet?”

Hyunjin wasn’t, but he nodded anyway. 

“Nobody told you that there were ancient witches living in your backyard, right?”

That was not the type of information that Hyunjin was expecting. 

“My… My backyard?” Hyunjin stuttered, still taking in the information, “Where… Where would they even stay?”

“They’re in the basement of that tower,” Seungmin explained, completely calm, “I thought you knew they were there, but the rest of your group found out just now.”

Hyunjin squinted his eyes in confusion, looking up at the scattered tree branches above him. “...Ancient witches, huh? What type of ancient are we talking about?”

“They were the witches that first found Yellowood. They’re like the town founders, and now they stay here to keep us all safe from harm.”

The idea didn’t freak him out as much as he expected.

“Are they… dangerous?” Hyunjin asked, “Vivi was an ancient witch and she was dangerous, will it be the same with these witches?”

Seungmin chuckled softly as he shook his head. “Their names are Jinsoul and Jungeun. When I was still a child, I met them once. They’ve been pretty dormant in that tower, though.”

“Mmm, the last time I checked the door to the tower basement was blocked by bags of… whatever.”

“Ah, is that it?” Seungmin gasped in surprise, “Someone must’ve trapped them down there. Both of them are immortal so they should be fine, but it must have been a horrible 30 years.”

“Thirty years…” He shivered. There was no way for Hyunjin to tell how long that must’ve been. “Did Gowon explain what we were going to this manor for?”

“Hm? Yeah, we have to visit them to help Chuu and Yves,” His eyes looked distant, “And then we’re… getting our souls back.”

With all that happened in the past day, Hyunjin had almost forgotten all about the soul problem. 

“Yeah, souls,” Hyunjin exhaled. Even without their souls, Seungmin and the other ghosts seemed… emotional. The only thing making them less human was the paperwhite eyes that stared into Hyunjin whenever the attention was on him, but otherwise, they were as human as he was.

A soft breeze flowed through the branches, making Hyunjin hold his coat even closer to his chest.

“The manor is right over this hill, don’t worry,” Seungmin laughed, rubbing a thumb over Hyunjin’s shoulder, as if trying to warm him up, “We’ll light a fire once we get there, and let the girls take care of the ancient witches in the tower.”

“Ah, we aren’t going in with them?”

Seungmin shook his head, “No, it’ll just be Gowon, Yerim, and Hyunjin - Along with Chuu and Yves, of course. We don’t want to overwhelm the ancients, especially after so much time in isolation.”

“Mhmm, of course,” Hyunjin hummed, drifting between sleep.

He managed to blackout for a few moments before he heard the creak of a door, and the cool air of the manor broke him out of his daze.

“Seungminnie, Jisung, go take care of Hyunjin and Minho upstairs where there’s a fireplace,” Chan commanded, speaking in a hushed tone. Gowon was already leading Yerim and her wife out the door, the other two witches were thrown comfortably over their shoulders. “Changbin, Felix, Bambam, and I will stay down here and try to clean up a little bit to make this place a bit more… liveable.”

“That staircase has seen better days,” Bambam sighed, staring at the right-most staircase that was ripped halfway from the wall, “You guys should probably use the one on the left.”

“Man, how did that happen,” Jisung gave the staircase a pained look until it finally dawned upon him. “Oh, I did that, didn't I?”

Minho, who had been keeping a comfortable distance from the boy, gave a small nod. 

“I’ll… Help you guys fix it when everyone’s safe, then,” He said, still staring at the splintered wood. Jisung held out a hand toward Minho, uttering a small, “Let’s go upstairs,” But the older only stared at it in hesitation.

Briskly walking towards the other stairs, Seungmin gave Minho’s shoulder a small nudge, sending him a soft smile and trudging up the staircase, Hyunjin’s arms still wrapped around his shoulders.

The small move finally got Minho to take Jisung’s hand, the younger breaking into a wide smile and leading him up the staircase.

It wasn’t long until the fireplace in Hyunjin’s room was lit, Jisung shooting a small flame towards the leftover stack of wood.

Seungmin set Hyunjin onto his bed softly, before throwing himself onto the space next to him. “Fuck, you’re heavy,” The boy lamented, rubbing at his shoulders.

“Then why do you keep offering to carry me?” Hyunjin joked back, “There are other people that can do it, aren’t there?”

Seungmin shot him a frown, “But it’s my job!”

“Changbin could’ve done it too, on the way here,” Hyunjin let out a small groan, trying to push himself up onto a pillow. The wounds on his arm and leg didn’t sting with pain anymore, but they were unbelievably sore. It may have hurt, but Hyunjin didn’t regret a thing.

“Seungmin’s just possessive like that,” Jisung laughed from across the room, tending to Minho, who lay haphazardly in the reading chair near the fire. His jacket was taken off, and Hyunjin could see the scars of small burns and scrapes from the fight that morning. 

“H-Hey, I’m not possessive!” Seungmin defended, still not moving from his place. He was laying at the foot of the bed, and Hyunjin couldn’t crane his neck enough to see the red brushing across his face.

“Yeah, sure,” Jisung laughed, and Hyunjin found himself staring up to the ceiling. It seems that his ears were starting to turn red, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was a bit shorter than usual, but we've had... a FEW things happen so i hope it was still good enough ;;;
> 
> next chapter - we finally meet the last loona members that have a significant role in the story!! everything will be coming together soon plot-wise so i hope you all stay tuned ;; 
> 
> thank you so much for sticking through with me so far !!!! this fic has been super fun to write and i love hearing feedback from you all because it really motivates me to write more;; thank you


	15. the witches

Fresh bandages were placed on Hyunjin’s arms and legs, the cotton only brushing softly against his wounds.

Seungmin was gentler than Hyunjin expected, which was saying a lot, considering how carefully Seungmin had treated him before. His touch was soft, and Hyunjin didn’t even try to move.

“What the hell happened to your arm?” Seungmin asked softly, trying not to disturb a sleeping Minho, and Jisung, who sat on the floor with his head against the chair.

“Mmm, tree branch,” Hyunjin grumbled, not caring to explain too much further.

“That’s not all, though, is it? A tree branch can’t do this much,” Seungmin pushed forward, his tone growing stern.

“It was also thrown against a dock, and I had to fight Jisung for a bit, then Vivi happened,” Hyunjin mumbled, trying to recall all he had gone through in the past few weeks. His head began to hurt. “There was… a lot.”

He could feel Seungmin’s eyes staring into him, so he tried to make eye contact.

“What?” Hyunjin could feel his face flushing red when he found Seungmin's face filled with concern, “It’s fine now, I guess.”

Seungmin’s concern turned to dismay, and he continued to wrap the bandages around Hyunjin’s arm, placing it back down at Hyunjin’s side when he was done. He shifted lower to bunch up the fabric of Hyunjin’s pant leg, and he began to open his mouth before Hyunjin let out a quiet, “I’m not taking off my fucking pants.”

With a shrug, Seungmin pushed back what fabric he could, untying the bandages around Hyunjin’s calf. When he let out a disgusted noise, Hyunjin opened his eyes. 

“This is all from _Jisung_?” Seungmin mumbled in disdain, rolling back to grab a wet rag from a chair he’d pulled up earlier.

“I also walked on it a lot, which could’ve made it worse,” Hyunjin added.

Seungmin scoffed, shaking his head as he got back to work on the bandages. “You’re going to be a _lot_ to take care of, aren’t you?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hyunjin grumbled back, but Seungmin was already back to ignoring him, cleaning up what he could and grabbing another roll of fresh bandages.

After only a few more minutes of meticulous wrapping, the room finally fell into a strange silence, only the crackling of the fireplace to fill the empty air.

“Do you think the girls are going to be done any time soon?” Hyunjin asked, only hoping that Seungmin was still there.

“Of course,” came the response, “They’ll be back eventually, we just don’t know how long it’ll take. The ancient witches require patience.”

Hyunjin could tell that the other was pattering across the room, trying to be light on his toes but failing. 

“I’m going to put Minho and Jisung into my room across the hall,” Seungmin whispered loud enough for Hyunjin to hear, “This chair can’t be that comfortable to sleep in, and the fireplace in my room should already be lit.”

Heavy footsteps now padded across the hall, returning once more to pick Jisung off the ground. 

Seungmin returned to the room, hands on his hips and staring at Hyunjin. “Alright,” He started, “Now we have to get you under the covers.”

“But I’m fine right here!” Hyunjin groaned, a frown spreading across his face as Seungmin stood over him.

“Come on, you can sit up. Your arm and leg are hurt, not your torso.” 

Using one last burst of energy, Hyunjin managed to sit up, lazily folding over and rolling onto one side of the bed.

Seungmin let out a faint laugh, throwing the rest of the blankets over Hyunjin. “Do you just want me to roll you up in blankets and let you sleep like that?”

Hyunjin gave him a furious nod, but he kicked the covers off and rolled back to look at the boy. “So, where are you going to sleep?”

His question was returned with a blank expression. “I… don’t know. I’ll probably find some space downstairs with the other boys-”

“You can stay with me,” Hyunjin mumbled out without thinking, and he felt time stop when Seungmin looked back to him with reddening ears. “O-Only if you want to! Since this is the master bedroom it’s probably a lot more comfortable, and there’s already so many people downstairs, a-and I slept with Changbin a few times before so it’s not weird or anything because friends can share a bed, right?”

He watched Seungmin’s smile grow as he rambled, finding entertainment in Hyunjin’s misery.

“Of course, I’ll stay,” Seungmin said, his voice softer than before, “We still have to get you under these blankets, though.”

Hyunjin gave him a nod, finding the strength to push himself up and shift under the blankets. It was much warmer this way, and Hyunjin let the blankets fall over his burning red nose.

The bed dipped next to him, and he turned his back to Seungmin, trying to hold his distance. An uncomfortable silence filled the air for a moment, but Hyunjin finally felt his eyelids close.

“Hey, Hyunjin?” Seungmin’s voice filled the room. It was barely above a whisper, but it sounded loud in the silent room.

“What?” Hyunjin asked.

They both waited for a moment, and Seungmin’s breath hitched, “N-Nevermind.”

“O-Okay,” Hyunjin felt his face turn red, but he stared at the darkness in front of him. It got just a little bit harder to sleep.

  
  
  
  
  


Golden sunlight streamed through the curtains, and Hyunjin didn’t know what time it was, only that the presence next to him was gone. 

A small plate of fruit sat on the table next to him - a few apple slices and grapes. The apple slice broke with a snap as Hyunjin bit into it, staring at the space Seungmin had taken last night. He already suspected that he’d be waking up alone, but he didn’t know that he’d be waking up… _alone._

It felt a hundred times emptier without Seungmin in the room.

The door creaked open slightly, and Felix peeked his head through the door. “How are you feeling?” He asked politely, walking towards the edge of the bed and sitting near Hyunjin’s legs. The boy’s orange hair was sticking out at every end, only getting messier as he ran a hand through it.

Hyunjin let out a groan as he forced himself to sit up, leaning his back against the bed frame. “M’fine.”

“Ah, of course, you are,” Felix chuckled, “I shouldn’t have asked. Seungmin is downstairs with the others, if you wanted to know.”

Hyunjin _did_ want to know. His head picked up, and Felix looked at him with a smile. “He had some catching up to do with Chan and Bambam. We’ve been too caught up with everything lately, and now they finally have some time to catch up.”

“Ah,” Hyunjin exclaimed, “That’s good for them. I’m glad he’s finally able to talk to his family.”

Felix hummed in response, his fingers tapping lightly against the edge of the bed. “You knew that?” He asked, “That they were Seungmin’s parents, that is?”

“Well, Chan and Bambam told us the story,” Hyunjin answered quietly, looking to the small desk next to him. It was still covered in tools and jewels from before. He couldn’t bring himself to care for them.

“Oh, so you know about the rest of us, too?”

“Hm, not much…” Hyunjin shook his head. “Minho did tell me that you have water and healing magic, and that you two used to fish together,” He narrowed his eyes, “Why were you using earth magic before, then?”

“I wouldn’t exactly call that earth magic,” Felix laughed, “It’s more like telekineses. I’m able to move objects, and that happens to include the earth. Minho must have mistaken that for water magic since I only ever used it on the water during our outings in the lake.”

“And the healing?” 

“That one, yes,” Felix nodded, “I do have healing magic, I just… don’t like using it too often. Not for myself, at least.”

He looked deep in thought for a moment, then his eyes widened and he turned to Hyunjin’s leg. “Ah! That’s right! That’s what I came here for! I’m here to fix your… injuries.”

Hyunjin gave him a slight nod, letting Felix pull up the leg of his pants. The sight of it made Felix let out a hiss, and Hyunjin chuckled.

“Why don’t you use your healing magic, though?” Hyunjin asked, “It seems like it’d be useful.”

Felix stilled for a moment before taking a small flower out from his pocket, placing it on top of the bandages. “It’s a long story,” He sighed, “A really… really long story.”

“Ok, I get it,” Hyunjin rested his head on the headboard, letting his eyes fall shut.

The soft hum of magic began to fill the air, and a soft yellow glow floated around Felix’s hands. “It wasn’t always the four of us, you know.” He began to talk, his tone soft.

“I met Minho when I was young, and he took care of me. Somewhere down the line, we found Jisung in the woods. Minho and I were just supposed to get wood for new boats to be made - I think - and he was just… passed out on the ground, in the trees. We had to kind of hide him from Minho’s dad at first since they didn’t want to take care of any more kids after me, but he led us to the manor on the hill. Minho told us that it was the one his grandfather built, but since nobody was using it at that time, we all started using that place to hang out, and Jisung started living there on his own. I never really found out what was up with him…”

A soft sigh left Felix as he focused on Hyunjin’s leg again.

“So…” Hyunjin began to ask, “How did Seungmin fit into all of this?” 

Felix laughed, “Ah, right, Seungmin! He found our manor one day and became really close friends with Jisung. They arranged a day for all of us to meet, and... we’ve been best friends since.”

“Mhmm,” Hyunjin hummed, speaking faster than he could think, “So are you guys _just_ friends?”

Hyunjin’s eyes shot open after a moment of silence, realizing what he just asked, but he found Felix wearing the same, kind smile. “Aside from Jisung and Minho, no. Those two have been together for years. Or… were? I’m not too sure where they stand now, but they seem to be close. Jisung hasn’t left his side since morning.”

“So, you and Seungmin…”

It took Felix a moment to realize what Hyunjin was trying to say, but he shook but head with a grin. “Seungmin _wishes_ he could date me. He tried to confess to me back when we first became friends but… Seungmin isn’t exactly what I look for in a guy.”

Hyunjin frowned, but it felt like there was a weight lifted off of his shoulders. “What _do_ you look for, then?”

“Well,” Felix started, “For guys… I like someone strong. Muscular, maybe. I also really like hugs, so they need to be someone who gives a lot of hugs.”

“Ah, so a person like Chan?”

Felix gave him a half-nod. “I guess. Chan’s more like a father figure to me now, though, so that-”

“Changbin?”

Felix’s face fell, and a bright red began creeping from the back of his neck. “W-Well, yeah, I guess. Aren’t the both of you… together, though?”

A loud creak sounded from the bed as Hyunjin pushed himself up, ignoring the pain it brought to his arm. “You think Changbin and I are _what_?”

“Oh! So you aren’t?”

“No! Changbin and I are just friends, absolutely nothing going on between us.” 

Felix’s smile grew, “This is some very pleasant news, then.”

“Um, yeah. Thank you for-”

The yellow glowing at Felix’s hands stopped and he looked up to Hyunjin. “Alright, don’t move for a few minutes and your leg should be completely free of injury! I have to… talk to someone! Downstairs.”

Hyunjin began to ask about his arm, but Felix was already standing up, his orange hair bouncing as he made his way out of the room. 

“Well, then…” Hyunjin sighed to himself, taking a look at his leg in awe. The wound was completely cleared up, and there was only a slight hint of pain when he tensed the muscles in his leg. “‘Don’t move for a few minutes,’ he says…” Hyunjin swung his legs across the bed, testing out the leg as he stood up, “He must not know who he’s talking to.”

He took a few steps to the large mirror at the other end of the room, resting on the mantel. A frown set in as he realized that his hair was just as messy as Felix’s, the black tufts curling around the base of his neck although he had it cut just a few weeks ago.

The thought caused a smile to spread over his face, remembering his first real interaction with Seungmin. The boy was surprisingly soft, and he had a calming presence surrounding him even when he was a ghost. Seungmin was gentle. He was soft, careful, measuring every move he made. Even when he felt Seungmin growing tired from carrying him, the boy made no sign to show it. He refused to let anyone take over for him, and Hyunjin didn’t mind, finding comfort in his arms.

Loud laughter came from the floor below, and he looked away from the mirror. 

Running towards the lounge room downstairs, Hyunjin felt his heart grow warm. 

He was met with wide smiles from his friends, everyone eager to ask about how he slept. Felix was already running towards him, apologizing for leaving so soon, Changbin looking towards them curiously. To his aide came Seungmin, ushering him to sit down at the table with them, Chan and Bambam happily pouring him a glass of water. Even Jisung and Minho waved to him from their spot on the long sofa, still covered in small cuts and bruises. Minho finally had some semblance of a smile on his face. 

It was so long since Hyunjin had seen his family, but at that moment, he felt like he was home.

  
  
  
  
  


Jeongin’s head rested on a cold stone in the backyard, the cold wind sweeping across his face and turning his ears red. His small bird stood next to his hand, pecking at his fingers that were slowly turning purple.

Or maybe it was black? Jeongin couldn’t tell anymore.

Ever since his conversation with Vivi, Jeongin felt his heart grow heavier. Small black spots began to appear at the ends of his fingertips. His hands stayed in his pockets for the duration of their journey to the manor.

There was also the dull aching in his head, and the itchy feeling crawling up his neck and into his eyes. The colors around him began to dull, and the bright green of the pines trees looked no more than an empty gray across the ash-colored sky.

The only other person who knew about it was Changbin. Well, he knew about the black spots at his fingertips - he’d been the one that spotted them.

Jeongin looked back at his fingers, the black spots already spreading across his fingers, completely soaking his fingertips in the inky paint. His nails had become uneven claws, and there was a matte shine where the glowing pale skin used to be. 

His head hurt more the longer he looked at the unnatural shape, and he rested back onto the rock. The cold, black color didn’t take over his entire hand, though. It seemed to fade into his palm, drifting off like smoke to blend in with the rest of his skin. He wasn’t even sure if it _was_ paint - he wasn’t sure what it was. All he knew was that it was a colorless, ashy black, and...

...and that he couldn’t feel the cold anymore.

The realization made him sit up, reaching a hand out towards a melting patch of snow nearby. He dug his fingers into the snow, feeling the icy wet flakes sliding against his skin - but he didn’t feel _cold_. He shuffled his sleeve up, sliding the snow up his arm until it reached the bare, untinted skin, but he couldn’t feel it. 

Jeongin shook, not from the sensation, but with panic. He brought his fingers up to grasp at his neck, and he was met with the same rough texture as his fingers. The sandpaper-like texture of the black trailed up his face, two lines reaching directly to his eyes, directly contrasting with the soft skin of his cheeks.

The scrape of an unsheathing sword sounded behind him.

“H-Hey, Changbin,” He mumbled, avoiding eye contact, “I-I’m not exactly the one you should be doing sparring practice with. Chan should be up for it, but I don’t know how-”

“Who are you?” His brother interrupted. 

Jeongin finally met Changbin’s eyes. He seemed confused.

“I’m your brother,” Jeongin laughed nervously, “What, do you not recognize me or something? We’ve lived together for all these years and-”

“You- You aren’t...” Changbin mumbled, his voice wavering. He lowered his sword, placing it back into the sheath tied around his waist. “You… you can’t be. Are you?”

Jeongin’s heart sank even further than he thought it could.

“You don’t recognize me, do you?”

Changbin shook his head, taking a step forward and crouching in front of his brother.

“How long have you been out here, Jeongin? The last time I saw you, you just… told us you wanted to get some fresh air. That was last night, seriously, how long have you been out in the cold?”

“I… Since last night,” Jeongin responded, and he watched Changbin’s face fall. “B-But it’s fine! I’m fine, I can’t feel… the cold, so…”

“That’s it, let’s get you inside-”

“No! No, I can’t go in there. Not like this. I… I look different, don’t I?”

Changbin nodded.

“Yeah, you, uh,” He mumbled, pointing a finger in Jeongin’s general direction, “Well your eyes are black.”

“My eyes are _what!?”_

“Your eyes are just… pitch black. I don’t think I can see a reflection in them, are they even real? Hey, let me see something for a second-”

Changbin began reaching a hand towards Jeongin’s face with a smile, letting out a soft laugh as Jeongin struggled to keep his hand away.

“Stop!” Jeongin laughed, “Don’t mess with my eyes, they’re important! What else is different, then?”

A hum rang through the air as Changbin thought. “You have these black claws now, and your ears are a bit pointy…”

Jeongin’s hand shot up immediately to prod at his ears which were, sure enough, pointed at the ends.

“Wow, so… You’re fine with this?” Jeongin asked his brother, watching as the older’s eyes shook slightly when they looked at each other.

“Well, I guess so. You’re still my brother, aren’t you?”

Jeongin stilled. “Yeah, I am.”

A silence fell upon them as Jeongin stood up, taking the bird onto his arm. He saw Changbin staring, and gave him a questioning look.

“It’s just going to take some getting used to, I guess,” Changbin defended, “I’m not used to you having black eyes.”

“Oh, are they completely black?” Jeongin blinked, “Then, can you see where I’m looking?”

“They’re more navy blue than black, and yes, I can still see where you’re looking,” He mumbled hurriedly before catching Jeongin’s expression, “Stop crossing your eyes before you break them permanently!”

Jeongin laughed, loosening his shoulders and following Changbin into the manor. 

He held his hands behind his back, trying to hide behind his brother’s back, but it wasn’t enough. The other boys could clearly see him as he walked into the room, immediately breaking into conversation and asking Jeongin just what the hell happened to his neck.

“I-It doesn’t hurt, I promise!” Jeongin tried to explain, raising his hands in front of him. That only made matters worse.

“Jeongin! You have _claws_!?” Hyunjin exclaimed, grabbing at the younger’s palm. 

“They aren’t claws! My nails are just a bit… long.” Jeongin groaned. He tried to pull his hand back, but Hyunjin’s grip on his wrist was like steel.

“Woah, Jeongin, this is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” Seungmin stood from his place at the table, studying the lines on the younger’s face, “And your eyes are black too? That’s so-”

“His eyes are black!?” Chan rushed to grab the younger’s face, patting his hair down gently, “Ahh, what did you do, Jeongin!?”

“Are you asking because you’re mad at me or do you actually not know?” Jeongin giggled nervously, his words mumbled because of how Chan was squishing his cheeks.

“It’s probably both,” Bambam shrugged, taking another sip of his drink with an entertained smile.

Chan let out a strangled groan. “Of course, I know what it’s from, and I’m not happy,” He narrowed his eyes at Jeongin, “But it’s too late to do anything about it now, so all I can do is make sure you’re ok.”

“That’s right!” Hyunjin assured, “I’m not entirely sure what Chan’s talking about, but… I want to make sure you aren’t hurt or anything. You aren’t hurt, right?”

Jeongin laughed as worry suddenly spread across Hyunjin’s face, the older’s eyes widening as he stared at the black ink on the boy’s fingertips. “I’m not hurt, Hyunjin, I feel… normal. For the most part.”

“For the most part?” Chan narrowed his eyes.

“I can’t feel the cold, that’s something I’m sure about,” He raised his sleeve to show a patch of bright pink skin on his arm, where he had left the snow, “I think my body still reacts to it, but not… anything else. I don’t know if the same applies to heat, but I’ll find out eventually.”

Everyone had crowded around in front of him by this point, and Jeongin began to tense up. “H-Have you guys heard from the girls yet? They’ve been in there for the whole night, no?”

This seemed to distract everyone else well enough, with Bambam standing up to look out the window. “There’s no sign of anyone coming in or leaving,” He explained, “And the new ancient witches would definitely like to meet the new presence in town.”

“We’ll give them another few hours,” Chan sighed, sitting in Bambam’s seat and chuckling when his husband began to protest, “They might be waiting for Chuu and Yves to wake up, or they might be going over everything that happened in these past weeks before joining up with us again. Being locked up for 30 years must’ve taken a lot out of them…”

Silence fell upon the room. “What do we do next, then?” Hyunjin mumbled, looking around at everyone else in the room.

“Hyunjin, Changbin, come with me. We’ll practice sword-fighting out in the backyard. We need to make sure your skills don’t get too rusty.”

Changbin jumped up in excitement, already rushing to Bambam to get his sword. Meanwhile, Hyunjin looked between Felix, and his arm.

“Sir, my arm seems to still be in less-than-perfect shape!” He called out, a blank look on his face.

Chan grimaced, “Never call me that again, and Felix! Didn’t you say you were going to-”

Dread washed over Felix’s face and he nearly sprinted towards Hyunjin’s arm. “Sorry! I got a bit distracted!”

Hyunjin struggled to contain a laugh as Felix’s ears turned red, the boy hurriedly taking out the flowers from before and placing them onto the bandages.

“Did you talk to him yet?” Hyunjin whispered, making sure only Felix could hear.

The soft hum of magic returned again. “I- No, not yet…” 

Hyunjin frowned, “Why not?

“Whenever I try to talk to him, he just turns around and starts a conversation with someone else and, well, I just don’t want to seem rude…”

Hyunjin could see a tinge of sadness in the boys eyes. 

Oh, he was definitely going to kick Changbin’s ass during their training today.

“I’ll knock some sense into him for you, Felix. He’s just a coward, that’s all.”

There was a hint of a smile on Felix’s face, the thrumming noise fading away. “Thank you, but when are _you_ going to talk to you ‘fated love interest?’”

“Seungmin?” Hyunjin chuckled, “I don’t even know if I like him like that-”

“But he was the first person that popped into your head, wasn’t he?”

Hyunjin narrowed his eyes, staring at Felix pointedly. “Stop making me think about this,” He joked, but his mind was already filling with thoughts.

“All I’m saying is, you should go talk to him. There’s a large chance that your feeling aren’t just one-sided…” Felix nodded slowly to add emphasis, “A really, _really,_ large chance.”

Felix lifted the bandages off of Hyunjin’s arm with a sly smile, revealing a fully healed arm.

“I’m going to have to watch out for you, aren’t I?” Hyunjin laughed.

“It’s not my fault you need someone to tell you what you want,” Felix giggled back, “Now, I need to go see if Minho and Jisung need any help. They’ve been awfully quiet…”

Hyunjin gave him a light hum in response, “And this arm is good to use now, correct?”

Felix nodded back, turning around to go look for the other two boys. 

The background was already full of energy when Hyunjin went to join the sword fighting lesson. On the light marble bench near the garden sat Seungmin, happily watching as Changbin struggled to defend himself against the two vampires. Hyunjin fought back a smile.

“Hyunjin, c’mon! Help me out here!” Changbin yelled, motioning towards the rapier on the ground near them.

A grin stretched across Hyunjin’s face as he freely ran to grab the sword, letting it sit comfortably in his palm.

He swung it a few times to make sure his arm was working well, and he bounced back towards Changbin. The two vampires stared them down with a grin. Changbin and Hyunjin stared back.

“Alright, on the count of three!” Seungmin yelled from his seat on the bench. He swung his legs back and forth, smiling brighter in this moment than Hyunjin had seen it in the past few days combined.

“One, two-”

Chan laughed, “Seungmin I don’t think that’s how-”

“Three!”

And Hyunjin rushed forwards.

  
  
  
  
  


Their practice went uninterrupted until evening, when the door to the large stone tower began to open.

Seungmin noticed it first. He stood up from the bench and let out an unintelligible yell, merely trying to get the attention of the other boys.

The abrupt pause left Hyunjin with a sword to his neck, and he made eye contact with Chan at the other end. Wordlessly, they looked towards the door, and watched an unknown girl emerge with a yawn.

Her dress was much different than Hyunjin expected from an ancient witch, as it wasn’t much of a dress at all.

She was a dark burgundy suit, probably velvet, with light golden accents and frills decorating the cropped jacket. Behind her emerged another girl, with a fitted blue dress, complete with a high neck and tight, long sleeves that reached her knuckles.

“Ah! That’s them,” Chan yelped, pushing the hilt of his swords to Bambam and collecting everyone else’s. “Make sure you act your best, these witches have been here for hundreds of years and-”

“Is there any food inside?” The girl in the red suit yelled, running a hand through her long, blonde hair. Behind her, the girl in the blue dress put her hair into a high ponytail, her black bangs falling neatly over her brows.

“I- Well, we-” Chan struggled to answer her. He turned to Bambam, “We haven’t gotten started on dinner yet, have we?”

Bambam shook his head with a nervous smile, already running towards the front door of the manor. 

“W-We should have dinner done in a few minutes!” Chan finally yelled back, clasping his hands behind his back politely.

“Hell yeah!” The girl in red threw her fist in the air, walking towards the manor as if she’d lived there her whole life. The last five girls finally came out of the door, laughing together and talking. 

“How are all of you holding up?” Gowon asked when Hyunjin and the other caught up to them.

“How are _you_ holding up?” Hyunjin asked, “You’ve been stuck down there for a whole day… What were you all even doing?”

Gowon blinked, “A whole day? That couldn’t have been more than a few hours… Well, anyway, we were discussing our current situation with the ancient witches, and they should be able to help! They’re looking for food now to gain back some energy. We also had to explain to them how much time has passed, what things changed, the condition of the town, all that stuff.”

“Did you tell them about Jeongin?” Chan asked, stepping into the house and freezing at the sight in front of him, “Nevermind…”

The ancient witches were already interrogating Jeongin, was sat innocently at the dining table with a book on herbal magic.

“When did this happen? Who gave this magic to you? Where did the bird come from?” The girl in the red dress pressed on, her friend standing by with her hands on her hips.

“Uhh,” Jeongin whined, trapped in his chair.

“Jungeun, come on, leave the poor kid alone,” Kim Hyunjin groaned, swinging an arm across the ancient witch's shoulder, “Oh? You really went through with it?”

Jeongin let out one last groan before placing his head on the book, lightly slamming it down onto the pages.

“Yeah, let’s give the kid some space,” Yerim said, but that didn’t stop her from staring when Jeongin came into full view.

She made a face. “Hey, what are those…” Yerim tapped the top of her head, tilting her head curiously.

Jeongin held a hand up to the top of his head, dramatically slouching down when he felt the softness of two small ears sticking out from his hair.

“If anyone knows what’s happening to me, can they _please_ explain?” He rocked back and forth in the chair impatiently, and the girl in the suit, Jungeun, let out a laugh.

“We’re just messing with you, right Jinsoul?” 

The girl in the blue dress, assumingly Jinsoul, gave him a sweet nod.

“We’ll go steal some food from the kitchen and we’ll explain everything,” Jungeun continued, “Go light some candles in the book room and meet us there. We know everything that happened to the lot of you, so all that’s left in helping you connect the pieces.”

Hyunjin felt a hand rest on his shoulder, and he turned to meet Seungmin’s eyes. “Do you think she’ll help us, too?”

His eyes were still stark white, but Hyunjin couldn’t miss the glimmer of hope as Seungmin tried to fight a smile.

“Yeah,” he chuckled, patting Seungmin’s head without a second thought, “They’ll help you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is late and a bit shorter than usual but oh boy... the amount of homework I've had to catch up on.....
> 
> on the bright side, we finally meet the witches! seungjin share a bed! jeongin is on his way to becoming a demon puppy! wow what a ride this chapter was to write. although it's a lot shorter than i usually like my chapters to be, i hope it was still interesting enough!! :D
> 
> on the note of shorter chapters, I'll also have to change my posting schedule to become completely freeform;;; the amount of assignments I've been getting recently has been very inconsistently, and sometimes I don't know if I'll be able to finish a full chapter in a month :(( i will DEFINITELY continue to write, but updates may become a bit more inconsistent, so you can subscribe or such if you'd like to receive notifications for updates!
> 
> i hope you guys have enjoyed reading so far, and i hope the next chapter finally pieces some parts of the "mystery" together >:DDD ♡ ♡


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